Keep Moving
by TheJiffyLube6
Summary: Lara and Sam have survived their ordeal on Yamatai, but something has changed between them. There is no going back now. All they can do is keep moving forward...together. Set directly after the game.
1. Rescue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or any of its characters nor do I profit from the writing of this story.**

**A/N: Hi all, I'm back with a new story. I'm writing all different kinds of stuff right now except for papers for school like I'm supposed to, but oh well. The idea for this story hit me the moment I finished the game. I read all of the Lara/Sam fan fiction and browsed all of the fan art and I just felt compelled to write this. I hope you like it!**

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**Chapter 1: The Rescue**

The wind had long calmed and the air around them was completely still. It was not as cold as it was mere moments ago, but Lara felt a shiver run down her spine for a very different reason. Sam had passed out a little while ago, presumably from the stress of her encounter with Himiko. Lara allowed her hazel eyes to glance back down at her best friend and her breath caught in her throat.

She had been so close to losing her. Lara's chest tightened, causing a pain greater than from any of the numerous wounds that marred her body. The thought of never being able to see Sam's beautiful face ever again was unbearable, but she didn't need to think about that anymore…Sam was here…Safe.

So lost in thought, Lara didn't even notice that Sam's eyelids had begun to flutter open and now dark eyes gazed up at her tiredly. At the sound of Sam's soft, strained voice Lara's eyes snapped to the face that rested in her lap.

"Are we home yet?" Sam joked, with a small, exhausted smile. Lara let out a small laugh, mostly out of relief that Sam was awake finally. In order to see Sam's eyes better, Lara adjusted carefully so as to not to hurt the other woman.

Tentatively, Lara reached her hand out and gently placed it over Sam's to offer whatever comfort she could. Sam returned the favor with a hand of her own on Lara's arm. As good as the gesture felt, Lara knew that they shouldn't hang around here much longer. After everything they had through, Lara knew that if they didn't leave soon she wouldn't have the energy to get down the mountain.

"Not quite…," Lara responded gently, then after a long pause, "Sam?" Her eyes searched the dark eyes below her for permission to continue, but the other woman gave her a quizzical look before replying.

"What is it Lara?"

She could tell from the subtle deepening of Sam's voice and the way her forehead creased a little that Sam was concerned. She didn't mean to worry the other woman but this was important.

"Can you stand?" Lara asked, slipping her rough, bloodied hand more securely into Sam's soft one. Sam glanced up at her; more awake than a few moments ago, and nodded slowly.

"I can try," she told Lara, giving her a look of determination before she used her free hand to push herself up into a sitting position next to Lara.

Lara slipped her free hand behind Sam, helping her to sit up, watching her carefully for any signs of pain. Not seeing any, Lara stood slowly and offered Sam her other hand to help her up. The dark eyed woman took the offered hand and began to pull herself up, aided by Lara.

As soon as Sam was standing, Lara could tell that there was absolutely no way she was going to be able to walk down the mountain on her own. Her mind was already planning on how she was going to carry Sam down to the boat where Jonah and Reyes waited…hopefully.

She could feel Sam's shaking through the thin material of the ceremonial dress that Mathias had forced her to wear. Her mind assaulted her with images of Sam being forced to take her clothes off in front of those strange men. This caused an unexpected fire in her chest that caught her off guard.

Her anger dissipated quickly though as Sam stumbled a little and Lara threw her arms quickly around the smaller woman. Sam had gripped her shoulders to prevent herself from falling back down and Lara could feel the pressure digging into the cuts and scrapes there. It hurt, she couldn't lie, but she would rather die than show Sam her pain.

It didn't matter though. Once Sam had regained her balance, Lara looked down and watched as those dark eyes began to water.

"Oh, god, Lara…," Sam was never one to hide her emotions and Lara could see the grief in her eyes as she stared at the wounds all over her upper body for the first time. Lara held her a little tighter trying to reassure her, but it was too late.

The tears left wet trails down Sam's smooth cheeks and all Lara hated herself for being the cause of her best friend's pain. Sam's face tilted upwards and her red rimmed eyes finally met Lara's own, causing her heart to pound in her chest.

Sam lifted her hand up to Lara's face but hovered cautiously over her skin, not quite touching. It was as if she was afraid to touch her… afraid to hurt her. Lara could feel her heart clench even tighter in her chest and her breathing becoming uneven.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, Sam's fingers opted for the stray locks of brunette hair that had escaped her hair tie. A strange sensation fluttered in her stomach, and Lara unconsciously gripped Sam a little closer to her. She could the warmth from Sam's skin through the flimsy fabric of the dress under her fingertips. No longer in control, Lara's eyes slid closed of their own accord, and she couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of Sam's delicate fingers running through her hair.

Then Sam suddenly stopped her actions and rested her hand in the lightest of touches against Lara's cheek. Before she was able to force her eyes open, she could sense Sam's closeness and felt her warm breath caressing her cheek. After a moment Sam rested her forehead gently on Lara's and a million thoughts were racing through her mind.

_"Is this really happening?"_ Lara thought to herself. She could feel Sam's tears wetting her own cheeks and all she wanted was to wipe them away.

Lara parted her lips to say something, she didn't know what, but she never got the chance.

Sam's soft lips pressed against hers in a gentle kiss. Lara's heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, it was beating so hard.

Lara could taste the salt from Sam's tears as she returned the kiss, losing herself in the feeling of being this close to Sam. This moment was so perfect, Lara never wanted it to end.

She could feel Sam's thumb caressing her cheek as she slowly pulled away. Her eyes fluttered open and immediately fell onto Sam's. They were still tinged with red, but now they held something else, something Lara couldn't quite discern.

"Sam…," Lara's voice broke the silence that had descended between them, but she still had no idea what to say. This was new for her. Sam was her best friend. Almost from the moment they met Lara always felt comfortable telling Sam everything. She still did, but she could feel that something had changed between them on this island.

Dark eyes averted away from her, and Sam slowly let her hand fall from Lara's cheek. She missed the warmth immediately, but she needed to focus. There were a million emotions swirling around in her, but now wasn't the time. She only had one thing she needed to concentrate on at the moment…get Sam to safety.

"Lara…I don't think I can stand much longer," Sam admitted. Lara could see the shame in the other woman's eyes, but even more the confusion that was plain on her beautiful face.

Lara could feel Sam beginning to weaken in her arms, so she reached down and carefully lifted her legs. A sharp intake of breath from the other woman caused Lara concern so she searched Sam's eyes for pain, not seeing any she decided to ask just in case.

"Did I hurt you?" Lara asked worriedly, but Sam just shook her head slowly.

"No. I'm fine, Sweetie. You just surprised me is all," Sam responded in her usual American accent. It was funny before she had met Sam Lara had always thought Americans had such a crude way of speaking. Sam's voice was soft and almost musical; there was nothing crude about it at all.

Lara mentally refocused herself and nodded at the woman in her arms, before carefully beginning the long trek down the mountain. Her steps were cautious and measured; she needed to get Sam down to the boat safely and she wasn't going to let a careless misstep stop her.

They both remained quiet during the trip, both lost in their own thoughts. There would be plenty of time to discuss what had happened between them, but here, on this awful island, didn't seem like the place.

Her arms burned with the effort of carrying Sam for hours and her legs strained against the rocky terrain, her knees feeling like jelly. She was certain the wound from the metal rebar had reopened with the strain and it felt as though she had a couple broken ribs from the first time she tried to rescue Sam, but the adrenaline pumping through her veins kept her moving.

There were times that Lara needed to rest, but she refused. During the trip, Sam protested a few times, insisting Lara stop and take a break, but she wouldn't stop until Sam was safely away from this evil place.

Luckily, it was still light out as they neared the inlet and she easily spotted the boat. Lara watched as Reyes and Jonah pointed at them in disbelief. They probably thought she wasn't going to make it out of there alive, much less with Sam after all of the friends they had lost during this nightmare. She could hardly believe it either.

As she approached, Jonah reached across the gap and lifted Sam out of her arms. A small part of her didn't want Jonah to take her. She knew he was a hundred percent trustworthy but she couldn't help it. The large New Zealander placed Sam gently on the back of the boat.

"What happened up there?" she could here Jonah asking her as he stood up fully.

"It's over…We can go now," was all she could muster as she stepped into the boat. So much had happened in the last couple of days… there would be a time to tell everything…just not now.

"All right…Let's get the hell out of here," Reyes agreed, walking straight up to the controls and starting the boat.

As they hit open water, Lara sat down beside Sam, who had passed out cold once again from exhaustion. As carefully as she could, Lara gently lifted the other woman's head and set it on her lap as it had been hours ago on top of the mountain.

As they plowed through the waves, Lara forced herself to stay awake and glance around. The weather around the island had become nonexistent. Clear blue skies surrounded them and it wasn't long before they spotted a cargo ship.

They threw down a rope ladder for them after Reyes had maneuvered the small boat close to the side. Jonah grabbed a hold of it, keeping the boat from floating away from the large ship. Lara was busy trying to figure out how they were going to get Sam up the ladder in her weakened state.

"Do you feel strong enough to hold onto me?" Lara asked Sam, who had been awakened by the large vessel. The dark eyes staring back at her were determined and their owner nodded her affirmation.

Reyes climbed up first and once she was safely over the edge, Lara helped Sam stand up, turning around so the smaller woman could grab her around her shoulders. She could feel Sam trying her best not to choke her and Lara lifted Sam's legs up and around her waist. The feeling of Sam's body flush against her back caused something unfamiliar to stir inside of her, but she shook it off quickly. She really needed to focus.

"I can take her, Lara," Jonah offered but she declined his offer politely before taking a hold of the flimsy rope ladder. Gathering every ounce of strength she had left, Lara pulled herself and Sam up onto the wooden rung and began her ascent. She had climbed many mountains with heavier loads than Sam, but never with this lack of sleep and with literally hundreds of injuries, but that didn't stop her.

Taking her time, Lara pulled herself up one rung at a time until she could feel her hand wrap around the cold metal of the ship. Crewmembers were there instantly, lifting Sam from her back and pulling her over the guard rail. She wanted to protest but they were already carrying Sam off somewhere.

"Holy shit, lady. What the hell happened to you?" one of the men asked her, and she gave him the deadliest glare she could muster and shrugged off his hands. After her experiences with the men on Yamatai, Lara wasn't rushing to trust these guys. She knew they probably just wanted to help but she needed to make sure Sam was okay.

She followed where she saw them carry her off while some of the crew followed, ignoring their concerned voices. Before she made it though, an older man in a skull cap stopped her.

"Captain Smith. How do you do?" He introduced then thinking better of his question, continued.

"We are turning back to port immediately. It looks like you need some serious medical attention. We should reach Yokohama by tomorrow morning. I'll make sure they have ambulances waiting. Try to get some rest. Braddock will show you where you all can sleep," he told her, his eyes glancing at her injuries sympathetically before walking away.

For the first time, she noticed a younger man in similar garb that had been standing beside Captain Smith and nodded in his direction.

"You all can follow me. We already took your friend to her room," the blonde man said, turning to walk down into the ship. Reyes, Jonah, and herself followed the man down the labyrinth of passageways until they reached a metal door.

Lara couldn't stop the flashback that assaulted her mind. The way her body had slammed into the desk and onto the floor of her room on the _Endurance_. Struggling to break free from the hatch, convinced she would drown…

"_You survived..," _Lara told herself, shaking these thoughts as best she could from her mind. Braddock held the door open for her, Jonah and Reyes so she stepped in, glancing around. There were two sets up bunks on opposite sides of the room, four beds total, but her eyes snapped to the figure on one of the bottom bunks.

Sam laid there, still in that white, ceremonial dress, fast asleep already. Lara stepped up to her sleeping form quietly so as to not disturb her and knelt beside the bunk. She knew in the back of her mind that Jonah and Reyes were standing right behind her, but Lara could care less at the moment.

She reached her hand out, and gently swept Sam's bangs to the side so she could get a better look at her familiar face. If she was honest with herself, she had always thought Sam was gorgeous, but she never thought anything of it…until now.

Now, she knew what it meant… She had feelings for this woman…strong ones. Against her will, images of Sam tied up and about to be burned flooded her brain. She crushed her eyelids closed but the mental picture was burned into her brain. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest and she struggled to breath against the memory. That feeling of being completely helpless… that she had failed to save her…

"Lara? Are you all right, Little Bird?" she heard Jonah's voice behind her, but she couldn't bring herself to turn and look at him or Reyes' faces. If she did they would see the tears that had begun to silently slide down her cheeks, cutting through the blood and grime that clung to her skin.

She simply nodded her head; afraid her voice would crack and give her away. A moment later she could hear Jonah and Reyes discussing who got what bunk, before she heard the sounds of them getting into bed.

Lara shifted to a more comfortable sitting position on the floor with her side leaning against Sam's bunk. It hurt her ribs to sit like this, but she needed to stay close to Sam. She reached her hand to cover the other woman's and lowered her head to rest on the side of the bed.

It didn't take long for her to drift off now that the adrenaline had completely left her blood stream. The last thing Lara remembered was the feeling of Sam's hand gently squeezing her own.

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Lara awoke to a searing pain in her side and a twinge in her neck from the uncomfortable way she had slept. But she looked up and saw that Sam was still there and her pain was quickly forgotten. Sam was awake, sitting up in the bunk, watching her and Lara felt a little self-conscious which was a strange feeling for her.

"Wakey, Wakey, Chicken Bakey," Sam said in a sing-song voice and Lara couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. American expressions were so strange, but only Sam could make them sound cute.

"G' morning to you too," Lara replied tiredly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes so she could see Sam better.

"The captain came in a while ago and said there was breakfast waiting for us in the galley," Sam informed her while swinging her legs over the edge of the bed next to Lara. She noticed for the first time that Jonah and Reyes were no longer in the room.

"Why didn't you head up with Jonah and Reyes?" Lara asked her, lifting herself up from the cold, metal floor. She turned to offer Sam her help, but the dark haired woman was already standing.

"I didn't want to leave you to wake up alone," Sam told her shyly. That was strange…Sam was hardly ever shy about anything…

"How's your ankle?" Lara asked, instead of addressing what Sam said. The truth was her heart had swelled with affection when the other woman had said that. It was so sweet. She was really happy that Sam hadn't left her.

"It's all right. I think I can hobble up there," Sam joked, testing her left foot gingerly. Lara watched with concern. She knew Sam didn't want to appear weak but it was more important that she didn't aggravate her wound.

"At least let me help you?" Lara practically begged. Sam was trying to hide the discomfort, but lines of pain were beginning to crease her forehead. Lara could handle her own wounds, but seeing Sam in any kind of pain was more than she could bear.

"Fine, but no funny business," Sam quipped, giving her a playful, but strained smile as she allowed Lara to slip an arm around her waist. Sam lifted her left arm and placed it across Lara's shoulders to help steady herself Lara presumed.

Slowly, but surely they made it up the stairs and to the galley where Jonah and Reyes as well as a few crewmembers were eating breakfast. Lara's insides were clawing with hunger but she made sure that she had seated Sam before she went over to get some food for the both of them. She gratefully took the offered bowls of… something…from the cook before sitting down next to Sam and across from Jonah and Reyes.

"The captain says we should be at port in Yokohama within the hour. Apparently, Yokohama is pretty close to Tokyo," Reyes informed them. It was evident that she was anxious to get back to her daughter, Alisha. She was probably already thinking about how she was going to get to the nearest international airport.

Lara nodded her affirmation before starting on her breakfast which was some kind of mix between oatmeal and grits, as the Americans would call it. She could really care less what it tasted like at this point, at least it wasn't something she had to kill herself.

When they were all done, they made their way together up to the deck where crewmembers stopped what they were doing to ogle at them. It was obvious that they were curious about these mystery people with haunted eyes and gnarly wounds, but who could blame them?

Once the novelty had worn off, the crew members went back to their tasks and Sam, Jonah, and Reyes all made themselves comfortable on nearby crates. Lara decided to hang back, choosing instead to listen to their conversation from a distance. As much as she wanted to be close to Sam right now, she just needed a moment to collect her thoughts. She found a spot a little higher, leaning against the guard rail. Gentle wind whipped her hair around her face and it felt so refreshing after the awful, supernatural wind of Yamatai.

Her thoughts were cut short by the captain of the ship once again approaching her cautiously.

"Need anything?" The captain asked as he approached her. Lara simply shook her head to indicate that she was fine.

"Don't rightly know what happened to you on that island. An' judging from those wounds and that look in your eyes, I'm guessin' I don't wanna know… Anyway, we'll be home soon," he continued glancing at her, but she refused to make eye contact.

Without another word, he walked away and Lara looked down at her journal for a second, then her eyes drifted over to Sam. The other woman was having a relaxed conversation with Jonah and Reyes about what kind of food they were going to eat when they got home. Her dark eyes met Lara's for a moment and a smile graced her beautiful features. Lara couldn't help but think to herself…

"_I'm not going home." _At least not the home she once knew…

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**Howdy! I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Let me know what you think. I am debating about whether to just keep this as a one shot or expand. I certainly have plenty of ideas, so it really depends on the feedback I get. If you want me to continue just let me know! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Recovery

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or any of its characters nor do I profit from the writing of this story.**

**A/N:** **Thanks so much for the reviews! It inspired me to continue. I'm loving this pairing and I have a lot of ideas for this story. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2: Recovery

The captain had announced a few moments ago that they were pulling up to port and Sam couldn't be more relieved…and terrified. Of course she was glad to be getting back to civilization after the hellish ordeal they had just been through, but a small part of her was afraid…

Afraid that Lara would want to pretend like the kiss had never happened. That they would go home and Lara would just want to be friends… Sam didn't know if she could do that… go back to pretending.

Sam glanced over at Lara leaning against the guard rail of the ship, the breeze whipping her hair across her face. She was absolutely gorgeous. Sam had always thought so but she looked at her best friend a lot differently now. Coming face to face with almost losing her had changed something inside of her…it had freed her.

All the years she had known Lara, she had always felt something… she didn't know what. She denied it for a long time… always flirting with guys, trying to drag Lara to bars and parties to meet guys… It never felt right. And now she knew exactly why and all of her feelings, her fear, her relief all of it came out of her on that mountain.

It had been an absolute blur. One moment she was having her soul sucked out of her body by an ancient Sun Queen, the next she was kissing Lara.

Sam couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face, just thinking about those lips on hers. It had felt amazing… to finally just kiss her. If she was honest with herself, Sam had known that what she felt for Lara was more than friendship for a long time. It had taken this horrific ordeal for her to finally get the courage to act on her feelings. But there was one moment that she just knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she couldn't go on lying to herself or Lara anymore.

That moment was when Mathias had tied her up for the fire ritual. The only thing she could think about was that she would die and never get to see Lara ever again. That they would never stay up all night just talking. That they wouldn't go on anymore adventures. Sam wouldn't be able to tell Lara the truth… But then…Lara had come for her…

She chanced another glance over at the archaeologist and studied her from across the ship. Her lean, athletic body toned from years of rock climbing was still littered with untreated wounds. The mental image of Lara being beaten by those men kept assaulting her mind. She shuddered at the memory of them kicking and punching her over and over again… and there was nothing she could do…but watch.

She had been sure that she was going to watch Lara being killed right there in front of her. It hurt just to remember it… but Lara had looked up at her, her face bloodied, and told her to just look at her, so she had. Knowing that at least if they died, they would die together.

Sam was mercifully distracted from her agonizing thoughts when she noticed Lara pushing herself away from the guard rail. Even though Lara was hiding it well, Sam could see the pain she felt in every movement she made. From the subtle crease of her forehead to the hitch in her breathing, Sam could read Lara like a book. It was amazing the woman was still standing after everything she had been through, both mentally and physically.

The archaeologist slowly made her way towards her, Jonah, and Reyes but she had to go down a small flight of stairs first. Sam watched as Lara carefully navigated the first few steps gingerly, but halfway down Sam could tell something was seriously wrong with her best friend.

Lara had paused, holding the railing so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. With her free hand, Lara was clutching her side where she had told Sam that she had fallen on a piece of rebar.

Sam stood to help her but Lara was already continuing her trek down the steps as if nothing was wrong. Lara reached them and leaned against a large box, catching her breath and deliberately not meeting Sam's eyes.

"Looks like we're here," Jonah informed them, nodding his head in the direction of the large port dock. While everyone else looked in the direction Jonah gestured to, Sam used the opportunity to covertly watch Lara. She had to be in so much pain…

In the distance, Sam could hear the sound of ambulances, their sirens getting louder and louder as they neared the dock.

_"Must be for us…_," Sam thought to herself. She saw the crewmembers preparing to dock and the captain approached them.

"We're here," was all he said and Reyes practically jumped to get off this ship. Jonah stood as well with a huge smile on his face.

"Let's go!" he said, happily, but Sam was getting more concerned about Lara as she watched the woman out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey," Sam whispered gently, "are you okay?" After she said it Sam knew it was a stupid question to ask. Of course Lara wasn't okay. Sam could clearly see the sweat shimmering on Lara's forehead and the way she was clenching her jaw. Sam's heart felt like it was being stabbed; it physically hurt her to know the other woman was in this much agony. It was as if she could feel each of Lara's cuts and bruises as if they were her own.

The British woman could only manage a small nod, so Sam laid a careful hand on her shoulder. Jonah seemed to have noticed their exchange and looked on worriedly. Sam was about to ask for his help getting Lara off the boat, but before she had the chance medics rushed on board with stretchers.

In a flurry of activity, Sam watched as the medics took Reyes and placed her on a stretcher first and started speaking Japanese to all of them. Jonah and Reyes both looked confused so Sam addressed the medics.

"_The woman, Joslin Reyes, has a bullet wound on her right arm. The man, Jonah Maiava, has no major injuries_," she told them in Japanese before gesturing to Lara, "_This woman, Lara Croft, needs serious medical attention. She has...multiple injuries. She has a particularly bad one on her left side." _She didn't even know the full extent of Lara's injuries, and standing here trying to explain all of them would take too long. Lara looked like she was about to interrupt but it looked like the pain in her side was really starting to get to her.

Immediately they rushed into action. Two medics, a man and a woman, lifted Lara onto a stretcher and quickly wheeled her off the ship, Sam struggling to keep up with them with her hurt ankle.

"_I'm fine...really. I don't need an ambulance. Sam needs medical attention for her ankle_," Lara was protesting weakly in her own fluent Japanese with a British lilt. Lara was a whiz with languages and had picked up Japanese quickly and now Sam felt that the archaeologist was better than herself sometimes.

The medics placed a respirator over her nose and mouth and began loading her into the ambulance anyway despite her words. The male medic paused and gave her a calculating glance before addressing her calmly.

"_You should get your ankle checked out,"_ he told her, while turning to check Lara's pulse. Sam made to climb into the ambulance, but the female medic held her hand out to stop her.

"_You cannot ride with us_. _There is another ambulance for you_," she told Sam, but nothing was going to stop her from staying with Lara.

"_I'm fine._ _Please, I need to go with her_," Sam didn't know what else to say and the medics looked at each other before glancing back at Sam.

"_We don't have time for this. Just get in_," the man told her abruptly and they shut the door, the driver taking off down the road.

Sam watched anxiously as the medics assessed Lara's wounds and inserted an IV into her arm. Lara's hazel eyes were beginning to look heavy with sleep from a mixture of the pain and the exhaustion finally catching up with her probably. Sam reached out and took a hold of her hand, causing Lara's eyes to drift slowly over to hers.

"You're gonna be okay, Lara. I'm here," Sam tried her best to reassure her, but in reality she knew she was just trying to convince herself. Lara gave her hand a weak squeeze and Sam watched as her eyes slipped closed, her hand going slack.

The rest of the ride went quickly and before Sam knew it, they were at the hospital. The medics rushed Lara out of the ambulance and into the building, Sam doing her best to keep up. There were so many people rushing all around them but Sam would not lose Lara.

The medics rushed Lara into the ER and the doctors were there already waiting, so they took Lara back for treatment almost immediately, but a woman stopped Sam before she could follow them back.

"_Miss, you can't go back there. The doctors will let you know when you can see her_," the woman told her in Japanese. Sam looked over where she last saw Lara disappear and then turned back to the woman. She wanted to say something mean, shove her out of the way, but that wasn't going to do her any good. The only way she could describe what she was feeling was hopeless. The woman had her fill out some paperwork and then pointed her towards the waiting area.

Feeling defeated, Sam made her way to the waiting area, and flopped down on one of the couches.

Lara had looked like she was hurting so bad… she had never seen anyone with that many wounds… that was still alive anyway. Sam let her head drop into her hands and everything from the last couple of days caught up with her all at once.

She couldn't help but blame herself for what happened to Lara. She should have been more suspicious of Mathias… How could she have let herself get kidnapped? It was all her fault that Lara was hurt.

A wave of emotion swept through Sam and her throat felt tight. The back of her eyelids burned with unshed tears, and Sam couldn't prevent them from streaking down her face. The last thing she ever wanted to do was be the cause of Lara's pain.

Lara had saved them…had saved her. Sam had a feeling that whatever she had gone through on that island had been nothing compared to what Lara had experienced. She had seen the haunted look in her eyes and it spoke volumes. Sam wanted nothing more than to relieve some of Lara's agony but she had no idea how, but she had a feeling it was going to take some time.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a throbbing pain in her ankle, probably from trying to chase down the medics. She adjusted her leg to make herself comfortable and prepared herself for the long haul.

After what felt like hours, a doctor approached her and Sam stood up quickly, giving him her full attention.

"_You're the one that came in with…Ms. Croft_?" he asked her in Japanese, checking his clipboard for the name.

"_Yes, I'm Sam Nishimura. Is Lara going to be okay_?" she asked him, anxious for information. She knew as soon as she said her last name that it had been a mistake. She could tell by the recognition in the doctor's eyes that he knew that name. Who didn't? Nishimura was a name synonymous with money in Japan.

"_Well, your friend has sustained some serious trauma. Someone did a good job of stopping the bleeding by cauterizing the wound on her side. We've cleaned the wounds thoroughly, sutured them up, and performed an X-Ray. It looks like she has a couple of broken ribs. But she's stable now and resting. We will have to keep her over night to monitor her condition. If everything looks good she should be able to leave as early as tomorrow_," the doctor told her in a flat voice, sizing her up with his gaze, but she ignored it.

Sam felt like she had been slapped in the face. How did Lara survive so much? What had happened to her?

Her eyes were beginning to water again, but she tried to hold them back in front of the doctor.

"_Can I…Can I see her_?" Sam asked, clearing the emotion out of her throat.

"_Soon. The medics informed me that you have an injured ankle yourself_?" he asked, gesturing to her leg.

"_I'm okay. I would really like to see my friend now…please_," Sam insisted, adjusting her weight to relieve some of the pressure on her bad ankle. He wasn't convinced to say the least, but he sighed and shook his head in consternation.

"_We've moved her to a room. There is another bed in there, so you can be with your friend while I have someone check out your ankle_," he told her before leading her down the halls and pointing to a room a couple of doors down.

"_Thank you_," she nodded her appreciation and was about to head into the room but his voice stopped her short.

"_Do you know if she has any one we should call? Family of any kind_?" he asked, as she was about to walk through the door.

"_No…Lara doesn't have any family_," Sam replied sadly, as she glanced into the room at Lara.

"_All right…well I'll come check her wounds in the morning," _He told her before taking his leave.

Instead of heading to the vacant bed like the doctor had suggested, Sam slowly approached the bed where Lara now laid. There were so many IV's and cords hooked up to monitors, but Lara slept peacefully, her tanned skin offset by the white sheets.

They had cleaned her up a bit. The thick layer of grime no longer covered every inch of her skin. They had also changed her into a pair of baby blue scrubs that hid most of the bandages that Sam knew must be underneath. Cuts and bruises marred her skin and Sam had to choke back her tears at seeing her best friend like this.

To distract herself, Sam scanned the room and she noticed a chair in the corner so she hobbled over and brought it closer to Lara's bed.

Almost as soon as she did this a nurse came into the room with a stethoscope draped around her neck.

"_You must be Sam. My name is Mai. I'm here to check out your ankle, if that's okay_," the nurse introduced herself with a smile. Mai gestured for her to sit, so she acquiesced, happy to be off her foot.

Mai kneeled in front of her and carefully moved her foot into different angles to try and assess the level of damage. A couple times Sam winced with pain but Mai was pretty careful not to hurt her and after a few minutes Mai stood up.

"_I don't think your ankle is broken, but I would like to do an X-Ray just to be safe_," Mai told her and Sam glanced over at Lara. She really wanted to be here when Lara woke up…

"_It won't take long,"_ Mai assured her, sensing her hesitance. So, Sam nodded, reluctantly standing up and allowing herself to be led from the room and away from Lara.

Mai gave her similar scrubs to change into and Sam was happy to be out of that awful dress. Once she was changed Mai led her to the X-Ray room. Mai ended up being right; Sam just had a pretty bad sprain. So, she put a brace on her, gave her some crutches, and let her go back to her room.

Sam was grateful to see that Lara was still resting, so she swung over to the chair and set her crutches down beside her. Careful not to disturb the wires and IV's, Sam gently took Lara's hand in her own and just allowed herself to enjoy being in the other woman's presence.

Lara really was beautiful. She downplayed her looks but Sam could see right through those archaeology books she always had her face seemed to be glued to. The scrapes and the small cut on the bridge of her nose did nothing to lessen her beauty, but Sam mentally winced thinking about how she might have acquired them.

Sam couldn't stop thinking about the invisible wounds Lara was sure to have from this ordeal as well. The friends they lost…the people they had killed…it all was sure to cut into their sanity. She had a feeling that this experience was going to change both of them… she just hoped that they changed together.

Sam's mind drifted to last night...Lara refusing to go to her own bunk, sitting beside her all night, just holding her hand. After everything Lara had been through and everything that she had done to save Sam, she hadn't left her side.

Gently lifting Lara's hand, Sam brought it to her lips, placing a soft kiss to her ragged knuckles. It just felt right. It was strange… she wasn't an overly affectionate person. All of the relationships she had ever had were superficial at best, but something about this felt natural.

Lara was different. From the moment she had met Lara at boarding school, she knew they were going to be close but she had no idea that she would fall in love with her...

A weak groan escaped Lara's lips and Sam snapped to attention, staring at the other woman for movement. Checking her closely to see if she was awake, Sam noticed that Lara must be having a nightmare.

Sam was at her side in an instant. Forgetting her crutches, Sam stood leaning over Lara, still holding her hand. She tenderly swept the lose strands of brunette hair back from Lara's face; it was her new favorite thing to do.

"Shh, Sweetie…I'm here, Lara. It's okay. You're safe," Sam whispered quietly to Lara's sleeping form, leaving her hand resting on her cheek. This woman had been through hell and back to protect her… and now she was probably reliving it in her dreams. Hoping that her voice would cut through the demons in Lara's head, Sam decided to say the things that had been swirling around in her mind.

"Lara…up on the mountain," Sam started nervously, knowing full well that Lara couldn't hear her, but she had to say the words out loud. If she said them out loud then maybe they would feel more real.

"When those men tied me up for the fire ritual, I thought for sure that was the last time I would ever see your face…," Sam began pausing to gather her thoughts and her feelings. She could feel her throat closing up with emotion just thinking about that day.

"All I could think was…I'll never get a chance to tell Lara how I feel about her," Sam was doing her best to hold herself together, but silent tears had begun to cascade down her cheeks.

"I swore that if we lived…I would tell you…," words were just spilling out of her mouth of their own accord at this point.

"I love you, Lara," Sam felt a great weight lift from her shoulders as the words left her lips. No one heard her, but this was the first time she had ever said those words…to anyone. She knew it was kind of a cop out, telling Lara while she was sleeping, but she just wasn't ready yet.

"And one day…I'll be as strong as you… and tell you this," Sam finished, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her free hand.

"Until then…I'll be right here," Sam finished, before making a decision. She was beginning to get tired and there was no way she was going to be sleeping in the other bed way across the room.

Carefully adjusting the cords and IV's, Sam sat down on the edge of Lara's bed then lifted her legs up and laid down on her side next to her best friend. She didn't want to put too much weight on Lara's stomach, so she opted for wrapping her arms around Lara's left one. She gently laid her head on Lara's shoulder and finally closed her eyes.

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**So, what did you guys think? I like to go back and forth between points of view to get a good picture of what both people are thinking. I think it's important to know what Sam is thinking. Let me know if you like it! This story is going to be equal parts fluff and angst. Feedback makes me a better writer!**


	3. Realizations

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or any of its characters nor do I profit from the writing of this story.**

**A/N:** **Thanks for all of your awesome reviews! I really appreciate it! The more reviews I get the more I'm inspired! So, here goes!**

****Edited 10/08/2013****

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Chapter 3: Realizations

The world was slowly beginning to come back into focus for Lara and the first thing she became aware of was pain. Every part of her body ached like she had been run over by a dump truck, but her abdomen was particularly bad.

The second thing she became aware of was a slight weight on her left arm and shoulder. It wasn't unpleasant, far from it actually. Unwilling to open her eyes just yet, she tried to discern what it could be, wracking her brain to try and remember anything.

Lara recalled being on the cargo ship…they were pulling into port…medics…ambulance...Then Sam's face floated to the surface of her mind. She remembered how Sam had insisted on being in the ambulance with her and she couldn't be more grateful to her best friend.

Reaching into the far corners of her mind, Lara tried in vain to remember anything after being in the ambulance. She assumed that since she had been in an ambulance that she was now in a hospital. Straining her ears, Lara's suspicions were confirmed when she heard the tell-tale beep of monitors and the squeak of sneakers on linoleum floors a little further away.

She still wasn't sure what the weight was on her arm, so she decided to try and force her eyes open. Her eyelids felt like they were being held down with bricks, but after a few seconds she was able to open them. The harsh, artificial light that struck them made her blink until her eyes had adjusted completely, then she was able to look around.

Sure enough, she was in a hospital bed, but that wasn't what caught her attention. Clinging to her left arm and curled into her side was Sam, who appeared to be sleeping peacefully, her head resting on Lara's shoulder.

Affection for Sam spread through Lara's chest and warmed her heart as she watched the dark-haired woman sleeping deeply next to her. The relief she felt knowing that Sam was with her, safe and sound, could not be matched. It made every cut, every bruise, and every broken bone worth it; to know that she had gotten Sam off of that awful island.

Sam's shiny, dark hair was shielding her face from Lara's view but she didn't dare move to sweep it behind her ear, in case she woke her up. So, she just lay there, enjoying the warmth from Sam's body, flush against her own.

Once again she was confronted with her feelings for her best friend and there was no where she could hide. Lara couldn't deny that it felt amazing to be this close to her, but did it mean she was attracted to her best friend? It certainly felt so, judging by the way her heart was racing thinking about every curve of Sam's body pressed against her side. Did Sam feel the same way though?

"_She did kiss you…,"_ a little voice whispered in her mind. It was true. Sam had kissed her. And it had felt incredible. Lara was 21 so she had been kissed before, but Sam's kiss…it felt like it was her first. She couldn't even begin to compare it to the awkward pecks with boys from her teenage years. Sam's kiss was more amazing than she could have ever imagined a kiss could be. She could remember every detail, from the way Sam's silky hair had tickled her nose to the way Sam's hand had gently gripped her shoulder, pulling their bodies closer together.

_"Maybe it was just in the heat of the moment?"_ another voice countered. Great, now she was arguing with herself. Lara reached her free hand, wires, IV, and all, up to rub the bridge of her nose in a futile attempt to quiet her thoughts.

As she opened her eyes again and laid her hand back down, she saw a couple of familiar faces peak their heads into the room. Jonah had obviously not been admitted to the hospital and it looked like he had had a chance to get a shower and change his clothes. He now stood in a similar garb of cargo shorts and a baggy tee-shirt. Reyes had her arm bandaged up and also was changed into a pair of jeans and a tank top.

Lara greeted them with a smile and gestured for them to come in with her free hand. They acquiesced and crept into the room quietly, not ignorant to the fact that Sam was in Lara's bed.

"Hey there, Little Bird. How are you feeling?" Jonah asked, pulling up a chair for Reyes and then standing next to the bed.

"Loads better. How about you guys?" Lara whispered, not wanting to interrupt Sam's peaceful slumber. Reyes took the seat Jonah offered her and looked away embarrassedly.

"We're fine…Because of you…Lara-," Reyes started, but Lara just shook her head and cut her off.

"Its okay, Reyes. You don't have to," she replied, trying to meet the African American woman's eyes. Reyes finally looked up at her and shook her head sadly.

"I do, actually. If we-If I- had just listened to you sooner, things might have gone down differently…and I'm sorry," she apologized, finally making eye contact. Lara appreciated her saying that but it really wasn't necessary. They had all just been trying to survive in the only way they knew how. Lara watched as Reyes' eyes drifted down slightly towards Sam.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Reyes asked, and Lara could hear the guilt she felt in every word. Lara allowed herself to glance affectionately down at Sam for a moment before addressing Reyes.

"I think so…I'm guessing most of her wounds aren't the physical kind," Lara answered, lifting her head to look back over at them. She didn't want Reyes to feel like she was responsible for Sam being kidnapped. Pointing fingers and saying, "I told you so," wasn't going to change anything now.

"Good…uhm well, we just came by to say that we are heading to the airport. I need to get back to New York and see Alisha," Reyes told her, struggling to form words. It was a little awkward. What did you say to someone you had just survived this kind of ordeal with?

"Yeah, I'm heading back to my country. I can't wait to see my family," Jonah agreed, looking down at Lara and Sam with concern.

"I'm not gonna say good bye though," he added, quoting himself from back on the island. Lara smiled at the large New Zealand native and nodded in agreement.

"Take care of yourself, Lara…and tell Sam we came by," Reyes said to her, standing up and making her way with Jonah towards the doorway.

"I will… we'll come visit you both one day," Lara promised with a small wave, watching as Reyes acknowledged her with a nod before slowly exiting the room with Jonah.

Lara continued to lie there silently, thinking of her two friends going home to their families. She had no one to go home to...Her parents had been dead for years. She had no family left. And now, she didn't have Roth either.

The memory of her mentor caused a landslide of emotions to hit her, and Lara struggled to hold herself together. Grim, Alex, Whitman… and Roth…She had to watch each one of them die right in front of her. Not to mention the countless others she had killed… Lara could feel the tears beginning to spill down her face, but she just let them fall.

The only person she had left was Sam… And now these feelings she was having for her might chase away the only friend she had left. Lara glanced down at her best friend in defeat.

_"How can Sam still want to be near me after everything I've done? All the people I've killed…,"_ Lara thought with despair, using her free hand to wipe her tears away.

All of a sudden she could feel Sam shifting around next to her. Lara glanced down and saw Sam burying her face deeper into her shoulder. This calmed her down immediately. It felt right to have Sam so close to her like this. Like she was home.

Lara wanted nothing more than to figure out what Sam was thinking. Did she want to be more then friends? A sliver of hope bubbled up in Lara's chest and she couldn't subdue it. She knew what she wanted, but she didn't want to lose Sam. If her best friend didn't feel the same way…could Lara go on pretending?

Lara thought back to all of those times at University College London and even back in boarding school when Sam would drag her away from studying and take her to some party. Her best friend would never take 'no,' for an answer and would do everything in her power to introduce her to random guys.

Lara's heart fell a little at this realization; knowing that Sam couldn't be attracted to her. Why would Sam try so hard to hook Lara up with random guys if she had feelings for her?

Lara would always placate her friend by going out with her, but she wasn't interested in any of the guys. At the time, she thought that she wasn't attracted to them because she was so focused on school. But…now she wondered if she had ever been attracted to men at all…

She could feel Sam starting to wake up next to her. The dark-haired woman had released her arm and was starting to push herself up from the bed with her own arms.

Simply watching, Lara could feel the cold sting of sadness wash over her thinking that Sam wasn't really interested in her that way.

Sam's eyes blinked open after a few seconds and they locked onto Lara's almost immediately. Seeming to realize where she was after a second, Lara watched as Sam's cheeks flushed a deep red with embarrassment.

The other woman quickly hopped out of the bed, and as her feet hit the hard floor Lara saw her wince. She looked over at her best friend with concern, sitting up to see what was causing Sam pain.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Lara asked in a rush, holding her upper body up with her arms while she looked over at Sam. Lara happened to glance down and could see that Sam's left foot was bandaged up and a pair of crutches was sitting on the floor next to a chair that Sam was lowering herself into at the moment.

"I'm okay, just stood up too fast," Sam told her with a small smile. Lara wasn't convinced in the slightest, but she kept her mouth shut. Her ribs were killing her and the effort of keeping herself upright was starting to make her a little woozy.

"Is your ankle broken?" Lara asked quietly. The idea of Sam in pain was making it hard for her to breathe again.

"Just sprained…," Sam informed her and Lara slowly lowered herself back down on the bed, missing the warmth of Sam's body next to her already. Lara tilted her head sideways to get a better look at the woman next to her and her eyes were greeted by Sam's dark ones, full of concern and something else Lara couldn't quite discern.

"Lara, I need to tell you something," Sam blurted in a rush, scooting to the edge of her chair so she could be closer to the bed.

Lara's heart stopped and her breathing became erratic…was Sam going to talk about the kiss? The dark-haired woman reached for her hand and Lara laced her fingers with Sam, never taking her eyes off the other woman.

"What is it, Sam?" she asked gently, not wanting to rush her, but she so desperately wanted to hear what Sam was going to say.

"_How are you feeling this morning, Ms. Croft_," an unfamiliar nurse had entered the room at the worst possible moment and Lara felt disappointed as Sam's fingers slipped out of hers.

"_I have some pain in my side, but other than that I feel okay,"_ Lara answered back in Japanese, trying to hide her frustration as the nurse approached her.

"_I'm glad to hear that…Oh, hello, Ms. Nishimura," _the nurse greeted Sam, noticing her for the first time as she neared the bed. Sam just nodded in response and Lara could see how anxious she was.

_"If its okay with you, I'd like to check your wounds and change your bandages," _the nurse told her, and paused to give Sam a look. Lara understood that she wanted to give her some privacy. On one hand she didn't want Sam to see her this way but the last thing she wanted was for Sam to leave…

Sam seemed to take the hint and reached for her crutches.

"_She can stay,"_ Lara told the nurse, letting her eyes drift over to Sam, who had frozen in place.

"Please stay," she spoke in English directly to Sam this time, begging the other woman with her eyes from her prone position on the bed. She watched as Sam slowly lowered her crutches back to the floor and nodded, her eyes softening as they gazed back at her.

A wave of relief washed through Lara and she watched as the nurse pulled the privacy curtain around them. The nurse returned and adjusted the bed so that way she was sitting up before beginning by checking her vitals. Without hesitation the nurse lifted her shirt, exposing her bandaged midriff, making Lara feel a little self-conscious, especially with Sam sitting there watching her.

She had changed in front of her best friend countless times, but things were different now. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sam respectfully looking away while the nurse worked.

"_Your Japanese is beautiful, by the way," _the nurse told her, carefully removing the old bandages and inspecting the edges of the wound with her gloved hands. Once she had seen the front, she had Lara lean forward, which hurt like hell, so she could see the exit wound on her back.

"_Thank you. I have a good teacher,_" Lara replied, letting her eyes drift over to Sam, who smiled shyly back at her before looking away again.

"_This is looking much better. I'm still concerned about your broken ribs though. Does it hurt when I apply pressure?" _the nurse asked her, pressing her fingers in various places on her abdomen. Lara did her best to hide her pain, but one spot was particularly tender. She inhaled sharply and the nurse glanced up at her. Lara could see Sam's eyes snap angrily to the nurse, but she didn't say anything.

"_It hurts a bit. Not too bad though_," It was only half a lie. The pain had only intensified as the nurse worked, but Lara had a feeling that it was because the pain meds were beginning to wear off. Sam looked up at her, her forehead creased with worry at Lara's words. The last thing she wanted was to worry Sam, so she tried to ease her mind with a smile of her own.

The nurse finished up with the bandages on her stomach and proceeded to change the one on her arm as well. Once she was finished she removed her gloves and tossed them into the trash before turning back to Lara.

_"Your wounds look like they'll heal nicely. There's no reason you shouldn't be able to go home as long as there is someone to help change your bandages twice a day," _the nurse informed her, walking over and pulling back the privacy curtain. Lara nodded to signify that she understood. She would have to stay in the hospital. There was no way Sam would want to change her bandages twice a day and Lara didn't expect her to.

"_I'll take care of her_," Sam told the nurse, pulling Lara from her thoughts. Had she heard her best friend correctly?

_"Okay, I'll confirm with the doctor, but you should be able to get started on the discharge paperwork at the front desk," _the nurse informed Sam before stepping out of the room. With that, the dark haired woman reached for her crutches and stood up, swinging her way towards the door.

What Lara wouldn't give for two minutes alone with Sam. There was so much she wanted to tell her best friend, but she felt like she couldn't in this busy hospital.

"Sam?" Lara called before her best friend exited, causing her to turn back and look at her over her shoulder.

"Thanks," was all she could manage. It meant so much to her that Sam would agree to take her home and take care of her.

Sam awarded her with a gorgeous smile that melted Lara's heart before she turned to exit the room, leaving Lara alone. That smile had evaporated any pain that she had and replaced it only with warmth.

As she sat there, Lara now had the luxury of thinking of the future. So, she was allowed to go home, but where would that be? Her and Sam's flat in London? The manor she inherited from her family? A sixteen hour flight to London wasn't really an option, so where would they stay in the meantime? She guessed they would have to get a hotel in Tokyo for at least a week or so.

She didn't care where she called home…as long as she was with Sam it didn't matter.

Her thoughts drifted to her best friend again and Lara wondered what Sam was going to tell her before the nurse came in… It had obviously been really important judging by the seriousness in Sam's tone. Part of her was scared of what her best friend was going to tell her, another part of her was happy that maybe they were going to finally talk about whatever was between them.

She thought Sam was gorgeous, Lara couldn't deny that. But there was more…She loved the way Sam's eyes lit up when she talked about her heritage…the way she was so fiercely loyal…the way she was always playing around with her camera…everything.

Sam had been her best friend since boarding school and Lara had always been drawn to her bubbly personality, which was so different from her own. Sam just had a way of pulling Lara out of her shell.

On Yamatai, when she found Sam the first time, she had been so relieved. But then she had fallen asleep, allowing Mathias to capture her. Anger coursed through her veins like fire, remembering that bastard, but she was angrier at herself for allowing it to happen. Then…Sam's voice had come through the radio…and Lara had felt renewed. She had sworn to rescue her and somewhere along the way she realized…she couldn't live without Sam.

After an hour or so, Sam swung back into the room with an irritated look on her beautiful face and a fresh change of clothes on. She had another pair clutched in her hand which was making it difficult for her to navigate with the crutches, but she was able to walk a little on her injured ankle so that helped.

Lara couldn't help but think she was so beautiful dressed in dark skinny jeans and a slightly, baggy grey v-neck shirt. Lara gazed up at her face questioningly and gestured for her to sit on the bed next to her.

"What's wrong?" Lara asked, afraid that Sam was going to tell her that she couldn't in fact leave. Her best friend approached and sat on the edge of the bed, lifting her injured left leg off the floor which now had a hospital boot brace thing on it now. The other foot remained on the floor wearing a more fashionable black boot. Sam leaned her crutches against the mattress and met Lara's eyes directly after a moment.

"My dad sent a driver and a change of clothes for both of us. I guess he heard about the shipwreck and us getting picked up," Sam told her, breaking her gaze to look down at her hands.

Lara detested Sam's father for making her best friend feel this way. By now Lara was accustomed to Sam's father never being there when she needed him, but Sam had just survived a shipwreck, not to mention the insanity that occurred on Yamatai. He even lived in Tokyo, but he couldn't drag himself to the hospital to come see his daughter, who almost died... Lara was disgusted, but she tried not to show it.

Needless to say they had a volatile relationship when Sam was younger. He was never around; she rebelled, so he did what he did best: threw some money at the problem by sending Sam to boarding school halfway across the world. While Lara was so grateful that she had met Sam, she wished it hadn't been at the cost of her relationship with her father.

Lara wasn't one to hold a grudge, but having lost her parents, she had no sympathy for this man who chose to be absent from Sam's life. Once again, it seemed his idea of helping Sam was with money.

"Sam…," Lara started, but her words evaporated into thin air. She wanted to verbally tear him apart; tell Sam she didn't need him, but that wouldn't make her friend feel any better.

"It's okay. I don't expect much from him anymore," Sam's words were half-hearted. Lara knew a small part of her hoped that her father would come see her in the hospital and show some sign of caring about her at all. It ripped at Lara's heart to see Sam so upset and her natural instinct was to comfort the other woman.

Lara reached out and took Sam's left hand in both of her own and rested them in her lap, willing the other woman to look at her. Sam turned her head slightly in Lara's direction and gave her a sad smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

There was so much Lara wanted to say to Sam at that moment. Her heart ached to tell Sam how much she cared about her. It ripped at her insides to see the dark-haired woman like this, but she didn't want to lose her forever.

"_You're free to go, Ms. Croft. You have everything you need, Ms. Nishimura?"_ the nurse reappeared, making her way over to Lara's right side. Sam turned her head sharply away and appeared to be trying to collect her emotions by clearing her throat before answering.

"_I think so,"_ Sam replied, and the nurse proceeded to remove the IV from Lara's arm as well as the monitor from her fingertip.

"_All right, well don't forget to come back in about a week so someone can check and see if your ribs are healing correctly,"_ the nurse told her and Lara nodded her affirmation.

"_Thank you_," Lara told her gratefully and the nurse acknowledged her with a nod before taking her leave. Sam lifted her crutches and placed her feet on the floor, standing up from the bed.

Lara slid to the edge of the bed and carefully let her feet find the floor as well before she put any weight on them. Holding the bed for support, she gingerly began to stand up, testing her legs which she hadn't used in over 36 hours.

Once she was standing, she felt strong enough to take the offered clothes from Sam and head to the bathroom to change. If she was honest with herself, it hurt to breath with these broken ribs so she had no idea how she was going to change clothes.

It was easy to slip the scrub bottoms off, but the pulling on the pair of semi-fitted khaki cargo pants was going to be more of a challenge. There was no way she was going to ask Sam for help, so she gritted her teeth and reached down pulling each leg up one at a time. It felt like she was being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach and she had to take multiple breaks, but she managed.

The black, fitted v-neck t-shirt was going to be another thing all together. She took a hold of the hem of the scrub top and began lifting, but a searing pain stopped her short and she had to grip the sink to catch her breath.

A knock at the door, startled her and Lara stood up straight, listening.

"Lara, Sweetie? Are you okay? Do you need help?" Sam's muffled voice drifted through the door, and Lara mentally berated herself. She really didn't want to appear weak in front of Sam but the effort of simply changing clothes was creating a line of sweat across her forehead.

Admitting defeat, Lara unlocked the door and met Sam's eyes ashamedly.

"I can't get this top off. Could you give me a hand?" it took a lot for Lara to admit she needed help, but if there was one person who wouldn't judge her it would be Sam.

"Of course," Sam told her leaning her crutches outside and stepping into the bathroom so people walking by in the hall wouldn't get a show. It was a large single stall bathroom, but it wasn't built for two people so it was a tad tight with both of them in there.

Lara was starting to feel really anxious. Sam had seen her change a million times but she felt so self-conscious now. Their bodies were so close…Lara could feel the warmth emanating from Sam and it calmed her and made her nervous all at once. She could feel that she didn't have anything on underneath her scrub top, so she slowly turned around so that her back was facing Sam. She felt as Sam's delicate fingers gripped the hem of the scrub top and carefully lifted up. Lara raised her arms above her head to help, which caused a sharp pain in her abdomen. Lara couldn't prevent the involuntarily gasp of pain that escaped her lips as Sam lifted the shirt up and off.

"Oh my god, Lara. I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?" Sam apologized in a rush, reaching around and tenderly touching the very tips of her fingers to Lara's stomach. Her breathing sped up at the contact and Lara struggled to control the butterflies that were now floating around in her stomach. Sam's chest was practically flush against her back and it was making Lara feel warm all over.

"I'm fine, really, Sam. I'm okay," Lara tried to convince her, but she could feel Sam watching her every movement skeptically after that.

Sam picked up the black shirt from on top of the sink and helped Lara pull it over her head quickly, but she didn't make a move to leave at first when she was finished.

Lara turned around in the tight space and they both suddenly became hyper aware of how close they really were. Sam was slightly shorter than her, so Lara could feel the other woman's warm breath gently caressing her neck. It was making it really hard to focus on anything else. If she wanted to kiss Sam, all she would have to do is just lean forward a few inches…

This thought snapped her to attention and she began to panic a little. She couldn't deny that she desperately wanted to feel those lips on her again, but a hospital bathroom didn't seem like the right place.

Sam seemed to realize how close she was too and stepped backwards out of the bathroom, grabbing her crutches on the way out.

Lara picked up her hospital scrubs with difficulty and exited the bathroom as well, trying to calm down her rattled nerves. She threw them on the bed and took the pair of socks and boots Sam had brought in here for her. It took some effort to get them on and laced up but she succeeded after a few minutes. Lara could feel Sam's eyes burning into her back the entire time.

"Ready?" Sam asked her, and Lara could see that the woman had mentally distanced herself once again. Lara tried in vain to meet her dark eyes, but Sam was doing everything in her power to avoid her gaze, so she simply nodded and made her way out of the hospital room.

"Yea, let's go home," Lara affirmed. She still didn't know where home was, but at least she was with Sam. That's all the home she needed.

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**Wow! This was a hard chapter to write but I hope you liked it! Let me just say that it's about to get really fluffy in here the next couple of chapters. Don't forget to review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	4. Revelation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or any of its characters nor do I profit from the writing of this story.**

**A/N:** **Thanks to all of you for the awesome feedback. I particularly appreciated ingelheim's insight into the medical profession. I've made a minor edit to the previous chapter to be more accurate. Without further ado… here ya go!**

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Chapter 4: Revelation

Sam slid into the back seat of the black town car, pulling her crutches in with her. After a moment Lara appeared, easing herself down into the seat beside her before shutting the car door behind her. Almost as soon as they got comfortable, the driver pulled away from the curb and sped down the street.

"So, where are we going?" Lara inquired, attempting to get comfortable. Sam watched as the other woman leaned back as far as she could in the seat to ease the strain on her ribs.

"I'm not sure exactly…the driver said that my dad paid for a hotel room in the city for us," Sam responded, her thoughts drifting to her father again. She knew that he and her mother were mere minutes away in their huge condo in the heart of Tokyo. Yet they couldn't manage the short trip to come visit their only daughter, who had just survived the most traumatic experience of her life. Just thinking about it made her so unbelievably angry, but it wasn't as if she expected anything less from her parents.

She was drawn from her reverie by the feeling of something warm and comforting covering her hand and all of her anger vanished. Glancing down, Sam saw that Lara had rested her hand over hers on the black leather of the car seat. It felt like such a sweet gesture and Sam's heart sped up at the contact. It was the small actions like these that gave Sam a tiny glimmer of hope…that maybe…just maybe Lara had feelings for her.

After hesitating for only a moment, Sam responded by tilting her hand slightly and lacing her fingers with Lara's. Sensing no resistance, she slowly shifted her eyes upward only to see Lara's hazel ones gazing back at her. It felt so good just to hold the other woman's hand…so natural.

She was reminded of what almost occurred earlier today when she was helping Lara change. Warmth spread through her body just remembering how close their bodies had been…the smooth skin of Lara's bare back so very close.

Just the memory of it was making her cheeks warm with embarrassment, so she turned her face away to hide her blushing. After a few seconds she deemed it safe enough to glance sideways at the woman next to her. Lara was resting her head back against the seat and had closed her eyes, not releasing Sam's hand.

Sam's heart went out to her…she still had to be in so much pain. She had been given some pain meds but still… Before they had left, the nurse, Mai, had given her the supplies for changing Lara's bandages as well as detailed instructions about how to accomplish it, but Sam was apprehensive about it. What if she did something wrong? What if she hurt Lara worse?

Sam allowed herself to take in the appearance of the gorgeous woman next to her. The golden brown hairs that had escaped her hair tie were framing her face, accentuating her strong jaw line and high cheek bones. The little cuts and scrapes that had been there before were already starting to heal. Her exposed neck curved gracefully down to her shoulders and Sam had the overwhelming urge to run her fingers over the soft skin there. Her eyes continued their journey downward to the swell of Lara's chest. As soon as she realized what she was doing Sam snapped her head away quickly, the blush returning with a vengeance.

The rest of the ride was spent in a comfortable silence, but Sam kept her eyes glued to the large skyscrapers as they passed by her window, too afraid to risk looking back at Lara. Eventually, the driver pulled the car to a smooth stop in front of a particularly large building and Sam watched him get out of the car. Sensing the car had stopped moving, Lara sat up beside her and Sam was disappointed when she felt the other woman's hand slide out of hers. The driver went over to Lara's side of the car and opened the door for her, offering his hand to help her out of the car.

Sam watched as Lara waved his help away and stepped out of the car by herself, turning to help her out of the car. Sam passed her crutches over to the woman and watched as she rested them against the car. Turning back to her, Lara offered her assistance by holding out both of her hands to her, and Sam graciously accepted. The other woman's hands were warm and strong, as she pulled her up from her sitting position effortlessly. As she stood up fully, Sam noticed once again how close they were to one another. This seemed to keep happening to them…or was she just more aware of it now?

Lara continued to grip one of her hands, even though Sam could certainly stand on her own, but this felt much too good to pull away. After a moment, they both seemed to come back to reality and Sam slowly reached for her crutches.

The hotel was absolutely huge and there was a man at the door ready to lead them to their room. There was one thing she could always count on: her father would spare no expense for his little girl... unless it involved his presence, that is.

The bellhop was surprised they didn't have any baggage, but he grabbed the plastic bags the hospital had put their old clothes and personal items in, before gesturing for them to follow. Sam could feel Lara's concerned glance as she used the crutches to follow the man, but she said nothing while she trailed behind.

They took an elevator up to the very top floor and the bellhop led them down the hall, finally stopping at a door before swiping the keycard and holding the door open for them.

Sam was used to nice things, having a crazy rich daddy, but this…this was a bit much. Sam didn't even know where to begin… the room had a wall that was one giant window with a breath-taking view of the city. There was a huge bathroom with a tub with jets and a separate shower with expensive looking tile. A couch faced a large flat screen TV and there was a full kitchen as well as a huge room with two king-sized beds pushed against the wall.

_"Is there anything else I can help you with?" _the bellhop asked in Japanese, and Sam wasn't sure she had the capacity for speech at the moment. This hotel room was absolutely huge… Probably bigger than her and Lara's apartment in London.

"_I don't think so…,"_ Lara responded, glancing around at the room as well. The bellhop seemed surprised that the English woman was the one to reply to him, but he recovered quickly.

"_All right. If you think of anything, don't hesitate to ask,"_ he assured her before stepping out of the room, leaving Lara and Sam alone.

"Uh, how long did your dad pay for us to stay here?" Lara asked, breaking the silence and stepping around the room.

"The driver said a week…," Sam replied, dropping the medical supplied on the coffee table and opening the dresser to look at the assortment of clothes that had been provided for them. Not too shabby…

Lara stepped up behind her and, after looking around she reached into the dresser and grabbed some pajamas as well as a pair of underwear. Sam could feel the heat creeping up her neck again and she knew she was probably blushing like crazy. She really needed to get a hold of herself.

Ever since admitting to herself that she was, in fact, in love with her best friend Sam couldn't stop thinking about how she could tell Lara. Sam couldn't live the rest of her life pretending… she just needed a little bit more time…

"Would you mind if I stepped in the shower first?" Sam blurted, afraid that if she didn't get a moment to herself to think she might explode.

"Sure... just save me some hot water, okay?" Lara teased her gently and Sam smiled to herself. Back during their college days at UCL, Sam was notorious for taking obscenely long showers, much to the annoyance of the archaeologist.

Sam just shook her head in amusement and glanced down into the large dresser. Her dad had done well; he knew her size and the designers she liked… or at least he had a really good assistant who did.

Shaking these thoughts from her mind, Sam grabbed some pajamas and made her way to the bathroom. After everything she had been through on Yamatai, she couldn't wait to just wash it all off.

She flipped the hot water on, removed the wrap from her ankle, slipped her clothes off, and stepped into the shower. Immediately, it felt like the grime was melting off of her as she stood facing the warm jets. All of the dirt, all of the blood, all of those men's filthy hands…

A wave of nausea hit her as she thought about Mathias' rough hands gripping her arms, her throat; not to mention the countless other Solarii whose hands had touched her. Sam shivered despite the warm water, and scrubbed her skin harder.

She had to keep reminding herself... She was safe now… Lara had made sure of that, but she had a feeling that Yamatai was going to stay with her for quite some time.

Once Sam was finished, she cut the water off and stepped out of the shower. Grabbing a towel from the shelf, Sam dried off and got dressed in the comfy pajama shorts and baggy t-shirt she had picked out for herself. She began brushing her hair, pausing only to wipe the condensation off the mirror so she could get a good look at herself.

Despite the bags under her eyes, she still looked like the same person, but she could feel the change inside of her. No matter how many showers she took, these memories weren't just something she could just wash away.

Lara was the reason she was alive right now. When she had been kidnapped and had stolen that radio from the guard, that familiar British voice was the only thing that had kept her going…gave her hope. She had known without a shadow of a doubt that Lara would save her. Lara...

Setting down the brush, Sam gripped the edge of the sink and steadied her breathing. She couldn't go on like this….

Her old anxieties were taking a hold of her again; her fear that she would lose her best friend, terrified of rejection… but after everything they had been through Sam owed it to herself and Lara to be honest.

Sam stared into her own eyes in the mirror attempting to gather all of the courage she could. Releasing the sink, she paused to take a deep breath before opening the bathroom door.

She stepped hesitantly out of the bathroom and glanced around the corner at the two beds.

Lara was sitting up in the bed, leaning with her back against the frame, reading from her journal. Sam figured she must have dug it out of the bag with her possessions from the hospital. Knowing Lara, she was probably already planning their next adventure.

"Have a good shower?" Lara asked, glancing up from her journal to look at her. Sam nodded and made her way over to the bed.

Sam slid onto the bed and leaned back against the headboard next to Lara, their shoulders gently brushing. She could feel Lara staring at her so she changed the subject to buy her some time.

"Are you hungry? I was thinking about ordering some room service," Sam told her, reaching over and grabbing the menu off of the side table.

"Yea, I could definitely use some food in my system," Lara replied, setting down her journal on her side table and glancing at the menu with her. They ordered a late lunch and had a nice quiet meal in the hotel room together. Sam was still itching to tell Lara everything, but she was just so freaking terrified of losing her…

"That was the best meal I've had in a long time...," Lara told her, making a noise of appreciation and standing up from the small kitchen table they had just eaten at.

"Hmmm, me too, especially since we're not cooking it ourselves, or paying for it, for that matter," Sam joked, standing up herself and grabbing her crutches. She probably didn't need them, but it was better to be safe than sorry, she figured.

"I think it's my turn to investigate that shower," Lara decided, grabbing the pajamas she had picked out earlier.

"Do you need…help?" Sam asked as Lara was turning to head to the bathroom. The British woman glanced over her shoulder and shook her head slightly.

"I think I'll manage," Lara told her before heading into the bathroom and closing the door behind her. Just a mere few hours ago she had needed help getting changed, but Sam had a feeling that Lara was just trying to save face. Or maybe she was uncomfortable with Sam seeing her…

A few minutes later, Sam heard the sound of the shower turning on and she had to force her mind to keep from thinking about her friend through that door. If Lara said she could handle changing by herself then she could do it, but Sam was still afraid she was going to hurt herself because she was too proud to admit she needed help.

Sam swung over to one of the bed's and laid her crutches on the floor before letting herself flop unceremoniously onto the soft mattress. She had slept relatively well the last couple of nights, on the ship, then in the hospital, mainly because she had been so close to Lara. But, she still felt exhausted, mentally and physically.

Sam had been so naïve before she went on this adventure. Nothing bad had really ever happened to her. But then Mathias had taken advantage of her naïveté. She had allowed herself to be taken hostage and it was her fault that Lara had gone through what she had…all to save her.

The one good thing that came out of that awful experience was that she had come to terms with her feelings for her best friend. It was true what they say: You don't know what you have until it's gone…Sam had almost lost Lara on several occasions during this ordeal and it forced her to accept what she had known all along.

Pushing herself up on her arms, Sam glanced around the room to distract herself and her eyes fell on the bags with their old clothes in them.

Sam sat up all the way on the bed and reached for the bag with Lara's things, pulling it onto her lap. Hesitantly, she pulled it open and reached in, her hands landing on a familiar object after a moment of searching. Lifting her hand out of the bag, Sam's eyes fell on the object in her hand: Lara's necklace. The leather part used as chain was cut, probably at the hospital to get it off quickly. For no reason in particular, Sam roughly repaired the necklace by tying the ends together and examined the rugged piece of jewelry more closely.

Her thumb slid over the smooth jade pendent and she was so distracted that she didn't notice the water cutting off or that Lara had exited the bathroom. The British woman approached her dressed in flannel pajama bottoms and a black tank top that fit her snugly. Her wet hair clung to her shoulders and little drops of water shimmered on her tanned skin. Sam snapped herself out of these thoughts and looked up into Lara's hazel eyes.

"The nurse said I should change your bandages after you take a shower," Sam informed her, having to clear her throat a little. As she stood up from the bed, she decided that she would do without her crutches and limped over to the supplies she had left on the coffee table.

"Should you be walking on your ankle?" Lara asked her, folding her arms across her chest, trying to look stern, but Sam could see the line of worry creasing her forehead.

"Don't worry about me, Sweetie," Sam reassured her, setting down the necklace and grabbing a couple of bandages, some ointment, and hydrogen peroxide. Lara followed and stopped in front of her, seeming unsure of herself. Sam turned to face her friend and her nerves started to come back in full force.

Sam kneeled to be in a more comfortable position and also to escape Lara's powerful gaze. Lara seemed to take the hint and pulled her shirt up, exposing her stomach and the soaked bandages underneath. Sam did her best not to stare but it was incredibly difficult when faced with the toned abdominal muscles directly in front of her face.

Sam's fingers shook a little as she reached forward and gently peeled the bandage from Lara's skin. Underneath, Sam could see that the wound looked much better with the stitches holding it closed, but it caused a sharp pain in her chest just looking at it.

Dabbing gently at the edges of the wound with the hydrogen peroxide, Sam did her best to clean the wound despite her nervousness. She then carefully applied the ointment before covering the injury with fresh gauze and bandages. When she was finished with her stomach, she had Lara turn around and did the same with the exit wound on her back.

Lara watched her work quietly, but there were a few spots where Sam could feel the subtle change in Lara's breathing. Every time Sam would stop immediately, afraid she had hurt the other woman, looking up to search her eyes for any signs of pain.

Once she was finished, Lara helped Sam up from her kneeling position with a gentle hand. Lara eventually released her hand to pull her shirt back down, but she made no move to step away. Sam was having a hard time making her feet move either with Lara standing this close to her.

Lara was just so beautiful... Sam wanted to tell her that so badly... along with so many other things.

"Thanks. I really appreciate you agreeing to do this," Lara's voice brought her back to the present and she reached down and grabbed Lara's necklace from the coffee table. Hesitantly, she placed it over Lara's head and then a second time, as she usually wore it. When she was finished, Sam instinctively rested her hand on the pendent, her fingers feeling the smooth skin of Lara's chest.

"Sam…?" Lara spoke her name with her English accent and it gave her the usual shiver of pleasure, but Sam did her best to hide it.

"Yea," Sam replied simply; part of her already knew what the other woman was going to say to her, but it was still a shock to her system when the words came anyway.

"Back at the hospital…," Lara began and Sam was sure that her heart had stopped, "You said that you needed to tell me something?"

This was it...

Sam took both of Lara's hands in her own, her thumb tenderly caressing the other woman's knuckles. Unable to meet the intense hazel eyes in front of her, Sam opted instead to look down at their joined hands.

"Lara…," Sam's heart began pounding so loudly in her chest that she was certain that Lara would be able to hear it. It was becoming difficult to breath, but it was now or never. With every ounce of courage she could muster, Sam forced herself to look up into Lara's confused eyes.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" Sam began, giving Lara a nervous smile as she struggled to form a coherent sentence.

"Of course I do…I was trying to study for my history final and you shoved a camera in my face," Lara reminisced with a short laugh, her lips curling into a smile at the memory. Sam's heart swelled seeing Lara's perfect smile and it gave her the courage she needed to continue.

"I remember it a little differently…I remember wanting to know who this shy girl was and why she was hiding her beautiful face behind a book," Sam told her, searching Lara's eyes to see if she understood what she was trying to say.

Lara tilted her head slightly to the side, her eyes filled with questions. Sam couldn't stop now...

"Lara, I have known from that moment and every day since…," it was getting harder for Sam to form words, but once she started speaking everything just seemed to spill out of her.

"It wasn't until I thought I had almost lost you…I knew…I couldn't hide it anymore," Sam could feel the sheer strength of her emotions beginning to overwhelm her, but this was it. No more hiding…, so she finished,

"I'm in love with you, Lara."

* * *

**There it is! I hope you liked it! I really appreciate all of the awesome reviews! You guys make me want to write all of the time. Let me know what you think!**


	5. Renewed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or any of its characters nor do I profit from the writing of this story.**

**A/N:** **Mwhaha Sorry I'm not sorry for that cliffhanger. Thanks for the reviews! Onward!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Renewed

"_I'm in love with you, Lara_."

The words continued to ring in Lara's ears as she stared unblinkingly into Sam's dark eyes. Had she really just said that? This had to be a dream… There was no way this could be real…The soreness in her ribs was telling her that she was in fact awake and that this was indeed happening but her brain couldn't quite wrap around it though.

Her best friend…Sam…was in love…with her…

It was as if the world shut off around them; the hotel room seemed to completely melt away leaving just her and Sam and nothing else. All Lara could hear was her own pulse pounding in her ears as the blood rushed to her head. Sam's face was the only thing she could see; her perfect face. The face of the woman who loved her…

Lara hadn't realized that she had been dying to hear those words until Sam said them. More than anything she wanted to tell Sam that she felt the same way…but…something was holding her back. There was something that had been bothering her ever since they were safely away from Yamatai. A darkness had settled over her heart and pain tugged at her heart as she struggled to formulate her response.

"How…?" Lara began in a strained voice, having difficulty breathing. All she wanted was tell Sam how much she loved her, but there was so much blood on her hands…Sam couldn't possibly love her if she knew all of the horrible things she had done on Yamatai.

Sam remained quiet but her concerned expression spoke volumes and it only made Lara more certain.

"How can you possibly love me?" Lara continued, forcing the words out despite the fact that her throat was closing up. It physically pained her to say those words and she couldn't stand to see the other woman's reaction, so Lara released Sam's hands and made her way over to the bed and sat down, hiding her face in her own hands.

Lara pressed her palms into her eyes in an attempt to squash the horrific images as they forced their way into her mind. Roth had said that it couldn't have been easy to kill those men…but she had meant what she had told him…It was scary just how easy it had been. What kind of person was she now?

Roth…that brought up a fresh wave of pain and all Lara could think about was all of the friends they had lost. Everyone told her it wasn't her fault, but it was hard to believe that. After all, it was her idea to sail into the Dragon's Triangle. Now, Grim, Alex, Whitman, and Roth…they were all dead. Except for Whitman, they had all died to save her.

Guilt coursed through her, causing involuntary tremors all over body. She had lived because of them and now she was here with Sam… and Sam loved her… Sam was too perfect…too innocent. Lara didn't deserve her. Sam deserved a good person. Lara wasn't a good person. Not anymore.

Certain that Sam hated her now, Lara was surprised when she felt the mattress dip beside her slightly. Moments later she felt Sam's right arm slip around her, her hand making slow, comforting circles on her back.

"I killed so many people, Sam," Lara whispered brokenly. She could feel the other woman's hand gently tugging her own away from her face, forcing Lara to look at her.

"Lara, those men were trying to kill us. You did what you had to do to survive…to save us," Sam told her fiercely, bringing her hand to tenderly cradle Lara's cheek.

"Grim…Alex…Roth … it's my fault they-," Lara continued and it was getting even more difficult to speak. Her throat felt dry and burned with emotion, but she had to get it all out.

"It is not your fault, Lara. They were saving you from those monsters. Like you saved me," Sam told her firmly, but Lara could see that she was getting upset herself; the dark eyes staring at her becoming red rimmed and hazy.

"It should have been me…," Lara whispered and she could feel the back of her eyelids burning and she did everything in her power to keep herself from crying, but it was no use. Tears slid silently down her face as the full weight of their ordeal finally hit her. She had held it together on Yamatai because the others needed her to be strong…Sam needed her to be strong. But now everything that had happened, everything she had done was starting to catch up to her.

"Please don't say that…I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you…you saved me," Sam was doing her best to hold back her tears but a few streaked down her pale cheeks. Lara hated herself even more for making the other woman cry. As disgusted as she was with herself for all of the men she had killed…Lara knew she would do it all again if it meant protecting Sam. Of course she would do anything to keep Sam safe.

On Yamatai, Lara had been so close to losing her…The thought of it tore at her insides and she knew that the only thing that had kept her going on that hellish island was Sam. She wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she hadn't been able to save Sam.

"Lara, I love you and nothing is going to change that," Sam promised her passionately and Lara could see the emotion in the dark eyes staring back at her. Lara knew there would be plenty of time for them to talk about what they had both experienced on Yamatai, but for now Lara was content in knowing Sam was here and she loved her.

Without thinking about what she was doing, Lara leaned forward and pressed her lips firmly to Sam's in a passionate kiss. She must have caught the other woman off guard because Lara felt Sam's gasp of surprise against her mouth and it sent a shiver to run through her. Sam recovered quickly and, to Lara's surprise, Sam returned the kiss with fervor, snaking her fingers through her damp hair. Lara instinctively wrapped her arms around Sam, pulling her body as close as she could to her own as they sat side by side on the bed.

All of the darkness in her mind was chased away. Sam, just by being this close, took away all of her pain, both physical and mental. Sam kept saying that Lara was the one that saved her, but that wasn't the case. Sam was the one who saved _her_. If it hadn't been for Sam, Lara would've given up and just let herself die on that island. Sam gave her purpose; a reason to keep going when the world seemed so dark.

Lara never wanted this moment to end, so she was pleasantly surprised when Sam guided them both down so they were lying on their sides on the bed, never breaking the kiss. Only for the briefest of moments did she notice the twinge in her side as she lay down, but the pain melted away almost immediately as she lost herself in the feeling of being this close to Sam.

This kiss was different than the one they shared on Yamatai… This one felt more real for some reason.

Sam slowly broke the kiss and Lara could see the relief on the other woman's face.

"I love you," Sam spoke her name quietly and Lara reached her hand up to the other woman's face, tenderly brushing her hair behind the perfect curve of her ear. Lara hadn't returned Sam's words. There was something still holding her back, but she didn't know what. Of course, she loved Sam…why couldn't she just say it? Looking into Sam's eyes, Lara could tell the other woman wasn't expecting a reply.

Lara felt as the hand that was still tangled in her hair, slowly slid down her bicep, until her hand grazed the bandage on her upper arm. Sam froze, her eyes snapping to the injury.

"Does this hurt?" Sam's soft voice met her ears and Lara could feel her warm breath caressing her cheek. It was intoxicating and it took her a moment to process the words Sam had just said to her, much less formulate a response.

"What?" she asked lamely, her brain still not functioning properly. Sam leaned back so that way she could get a better look at her arm and she understood what she was talking about now.

"Oh, that. I'm fine," Lara assured her, still gripping Sam's waist, willing the other woman to stay.

"Sweetie, I think I should change the bandage on that too," Sam worried aloud and Lara's heart fluttered at her usual term of endearment for her. It was something she always said, but it felt different now… more intimate.

"Sam, I'm okay, really," Lara tried once more to convince her, but Sam had already sat up from the bed and was grabbing the medical supplies from the coffee table across the room.

"The nurse told me to take care of you, so that's what I'm going to do. Now, hush and let me work," Sam reprimanded her lightly and Lara smiled affectionately back at her. Sam was more stubborn than her, so she knew arguing was futile.

"How did you get this one anyway?" Sam asked her hesitantly and Lara saw her brief, cautious glance up at her. Lara had a feeling that she was curious, but was nervous about upsetting her.

Sitting up, Lara watched Sam work as she carefully redressed the wound and she couldn't help the rush of elation remembering her words. Sam loved her…

"An arrow grazed my arm is all," Lara replied simply, attempting to gauge the other woman's response. Sam nodded slightly and continued with her work, so Lara couldn't quite read her emotions.

When she was finished, Sam left her to throw away the old bandages and returned a moment later, making her way back over to the bed.

"You tired?" Sam asked her, pulling back the covers on the bed Lara sat on, before turning to look up at her. She was a little nervous… did Sam want to sleep in the same bed? They had done it before, plenty of times actually, but things had changed between them.

So, Lara just sat there awkwardly for a moment before responding.

"Yea…," she agreed awkwardly.

Lara slipped under the covers as Sam did the same on the other side of the bed. The other woman flicked off the bed side lamp and immediately rolled over to face Lara.

To be honest, Lara was still trying to process everything that happened. She couldn't stop thinking…_Sam loves me_… as she stared up at the ceiling, flat on her back.

Sam scooted closer to her and rested her head on Lara's shoulder, her hand snaking around her waist. Lara glanced down at the woman next to her and placed a tender kiss to the top of her head, it felt amazing to be able to do small gestures like these… it just felt right.

"Good night," Lara whispered into the darkness.

"Night," she could hear the other woman's soft voice reply as Sam snuggled deeper into her side.

She continued to rest her head on Sam's, her arm coming up to wrap around the other woman's shoulder, holding her close. This was the position Lara was in as she drifted off and it was the best feeling in the world.

* * *

"_Don't you touch her, you bastards!"_

Sam was startled out of her peaceful sleep by the sound of Lara's shout. At first she had no idea what was going and her eyes flashed open in panic. Immediately she sat up and glanced around until her eyes fell on the British woman next to her. Seeing Lara eased her panic a little but taking in the woman's appearance created a whole different set of emotions within her.

Lara laid facing away from her on her side, curled into a ball and clutching a pillow tightly to her chest. It appeared as though she had been thrashing about, judging by the way the covers were tangled around her legs. Lara's chest was rising and falling rapidly, betraying her erratic breathing, and sweat shimmered along her hair line. She was clenching her jaw tightly in her sleep and her brow was furrowed in obvious distress, every muscle in her body tense.

A sharp pain shot through her chest seeing Lara like this and Sam knew she must be having a pretty bad nightmare. After hearing Lara speak about Yamatai earlier, Sam had a feeling that the archaeologist was now reliving everything in her sleep.

Sam could only imagine the horror Lara had experienced while on that island. She had heard bits and pieces of the story, but she didn't know everything that had happened. The origin of half of the wounds that littered Lara's body was a complete mystery to Sam. The injuries she had witnessed being inflicted on Lara…well…she would give anything to erase those images from her mind.

Against her will, the memory of those men beating Lara returned to her consciousness like a movie that played on a loop.

Sam took a deep, calming breath, reminding herself that they were both here, safe.

That knowledge was enough to pull her back to the present and Sam knew it was her turn to be the strong one. Lara had single-handedly saved them, so she was going to do everything in her power to save Lara from the terrors haunting her mind. When Lara was ready to talk about it, Sam would be ready to hear it, no matter how painful. Until then, Sam was going to do whatever it took to ease Lara's tormented mind.

Slowly lying back down, Sam snaked her right arm under Lara's neck from behind until her hand came to gently grip the woman's left shoulder. Sam wrapped her left arm around Lara's torso and she pulled Lara as close as she could to herself until her chest was pressed against the distressed woman's back.

Holding her close, Sam could feel Lara's body tremble and her heart ached for her. Sam hugged Lara as tightly as she dared, not wanting to aggravate the other woman's wounds, but wanting to comfort her as much as she could.

Gently, she removed her left arm from around Lara for a moment to brush the woman's long mane of brunette hair away, exposing the side of her face and her neck. Letting her arm return to its position, Sam brought her lips to mere millimeters away from the curve of Lara's ear.

"Shhh, Sweetie…It's okay. We're safe," Sam whispered quietly, her lips brushing Lara's ear as she spoke. At first nothing happened, so Sam just held Lara and repeated these words a few more times.

Eventually, Sam could feel Lara's body beginning to relax, but her shaking continued. Sam pressed a tender kiss to Lara's exposed neck, but froze as she heard Lara speak again.

"Don't…don't hurt her…," Lara's voice had quieted down to a mere mumble, but her words still shattered the silence in the dark room as if she had shouted.

She had no idea what horrors were playing out in the other woman's mind, but Sam was starting to think that it had to do with her.

"I'm okay, Sweetie. We're both okay. Please wake up," Sam pleaded with the sleeping woman because the truth was, she was starting to get a little scared. Lara was the strongest person she knew and Sam wasn't used to seeing her like this.

Sam had to move back a little because Lara has begun to shake her head violently. Refusing to let her go, Sam squeezed Lara tighter.

"No…NO! SAM!" Lara shouted, causing Sam's ears to ring. Sam's heart clenched painfully, but she wasn't going to give up that easily.

Sam released Lara just long enough so she could place her hands on either side of the other woman's upper body.

"Lara, I'm here. Wake up…please!" Sam spoke louder, attempting to pull Lara out of her nightmare. Carefully, Sam used her right hand to support her while she reached the other down to gently turn Lara onto her back.

"Lara, I love you so much. Please come back to me," Sam begged, her heart pounding fiercely in her chest and to her surprise the other woman stopped thrashing a moment later.

The British woman's eyes fluttered open and Sam gazed down into their hazel depths. The remnants of her nightmare seemed to be clouding over her vision, but Lara's eyes slowly began to focus on hers.

"Sam…," Lara spoke, her voice hoarse from talking in her sleep. Lara turned her head away and Sam could plainly see the shame the other woman felt. Sam reached her hand out and gently guided Lara's cheek back so that way she could see her eyes again.

"You don't have to talk about it, but I want you to know I'm here, Lara. You don't have to go through this alone," Sam promised, not breaking Lara's gaze. She needed Lara to know that she wasn't going anywhere.

"Thanks, Sam," Lara replied. Sam gave her a small smile and laid back on the mattress, surprised when, a moment later, Lara curled into her side, resting her head on Sam's shoulder. It felt nice… Sam was usually the one who needed Lara, but the roles had been reversed.

"Sam?" Lara's voice drifted up to her ears as Sam wrapped her arms around her.

"Mhmm?" Sam gave a small sound of recognition, looking down at the brunette head resting on her chest.

"I love you too," Lara whispered into the darkness without looking up. Sam's heart stopped dead in her chest and then began to pound furiously. Had she heard Lara correctly? Staring at the top of the other woman's head, Sam tried to process it but her mind was exhausted and energized all at once.

A blissful smile plastered on her face, Sam stared up at the ceiling, perfectly content as she held the woman she loved.

* * *

**Sorry for the delay! Grad school is kicking my butt. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think!**


	6. Relapse

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or any of its characters nor do I profit from the writing of this story.**

**A/N:** **I hope you're all enjoying this so far! Thanks to everyone who is sticking with this story despite the long gaps between updates lately. Winter break is coming fast and that means more time for writing!**

**** TRIGGER WARNING: There is some reference to sexual assault in this chapter.****

* * *

Chapter 6: Relapse

Lara blinked against the bright, morning light that filtered in through the gap in curtains. She was extremely comfortable with her face resting against something soft. Lara had no desire to open her eyes, so she strained her mind to remember the events of last night. A smile curled her lips as the memories came back to her.

_Sam loves me_. Lara's heart began to pound in her chest as she remembered Sam's words. Anxious to see the other woman's gorgeous face, Lara forced her eyes open and was greeted with the perfect curve of Sam's shoulder.

From the looks of it, Lara had hooked her leg over Sam's hips and now her body was partially draped over the other woman's. As much as she enjoyed the position she was in, Lara was reminded of how she had gotten there and her mood turned dark.

She vaguely remembered the contents of her nightmare…it was one she knew would probably return. It assaulted her mind even now… it kept conjuring up images of Sam being…

Lara could feel her throat tighten with emotion, painfully constricting her air flow. The thought of those men touching Sam made her want to cry and shoot something all at once. The feelings were threatening to overcome her but then she remembered how Sam had wrapped her arms around her so tightly in the darkness, chasing away the demons. Sam hadn't pressured her to talk about it, she just held her, and Lara couldn't have more grateful.

Taking a steadying breath, Lara did her best to push these thoughts away and instead focus on the woman next to her.

Judging by Sam's steady breathing, she was still sleeping, and Lara had no intention of waking her. She just watched her best friend sleep and allowed herself to really appreciate every detail of this moment.

Her arm was draped around Sam's waist and she squeezed her a little tighter as she buried her face deeper into her shoulder. She had never felt safer than she did now, curled into Sam's side. Sam's body was warm against hers and Lara could feel every inch of it. Thinking about it was making her heart race and it was difficult to focus on anything else.

She had no idea how long they laid there, but after a while Lara could feel Sam shift slightly underneath her. Sam squeezed the arm that was wrapped around Lara's shoulder before releasing her completely. As she was awakened, Sam lifted that hand to her face and Lara watched as she attempted to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

Sam slowly replaced the hand back to Lara's shoulder and gazed down at her after a moment. Lara was greeted with Sam's dark eyes, still droopy with sleep, but just as beautiful as ever.

"Good morning," Lara greeted the sleepy woman with an affectionate smile. She loved Sam and Sam loved her back… it was an amazing feeling, one she had never experienced. To love someone and have them love you in return seemed like such a rare and beautiful thing and Lara felt extremely lucky to have found it with her best friend.

Sam returned her smile with a sleepy one of her own and gently pushed the stray hair away from Lara's face with her fingertips. Her own dark hair fell around her face as she looked down at Lara and the archaeologist could feel warmth spreading throughout her entire body as she realized how close they really were.

Lara's heart sped up as the other woman leaned down and placed her lips to hers in a gentle kiss. Lara responded to the kiss but stayed still, as Sam carefully maneuvered until they were both lying on their sides facing each other. Sam deepened the kiss and pulled Lara even closer so that their bodies were completely flush against one another.

She could get used to waking up like this…

Too soon, Sam slowly pulled away and sat up without a word. Lara watched her as she stood up from the bed and made her way to the kitchen area. Sliding up into a sitting position herself, Lara cringed slightly at the searing pain in her ribs but she did her best to hide it.

Curious, Lara stood up from the bed as well and followed Sam into the kitchen to see the other woman making coffee for herself and microwaving some water for her. She couldn't help the little flutter in her heart as she watched Sam looking through the tea selection with a concerned look on her face.

"Lara, they don't have PG Tips. Do you want me to run out to the store?" Sam called loudly, obviously unaware that she had gotten up out of bed and was a mere few feet away.

As quietly as she could Lara closed the distance between her and the other woman and snaked her arms around her waist from behind. She could feel Sam's small jump of surprise, but the dark haired woman quickly relaxed into her arms.

"Earl Grey is fine," Lara replied, not releasing Sam as she finished making her coffee.

"I know you hate Earl Grey…," Sam challenged, tilting her head to the side to give Lara a challenging look. It was so sweet how concerned Sam was about something as insignificant as her tea.

"I'll survive…Thank you, Sam," Lara responded, releasing the other woman to take the offered tea. Sam knew just the way she took it and Lara couldn't help the wave of affection that swept through her for Sam. She was just so attentive and caring.

"I forgot to tell you, but Reyes and Jonah stopped by yesterday at the hospital," Lara spoke after she took a cautious sip from her steaming tea. She had meant to tell Sam earlier, but so much had happened since then.

"Oh, yea? How were they?" Sam asked her, taking a seat at the small breakfast table a few steps away. Lara followed and sat down across from her, setting her mug down on the table in front of her.

"They looked good actually. I think they were anxious to get home to their families, especially Reyes," Lara replied, thinking of the woman who was so dedicated to her daughter. She felt a small stab of jealousy against her will. She was once again reminded that she had no family… no one to go home to…

Sam must have sensed her change in mood, because she reached across the table and gently tugged Lara's hand away from her mug, holding it in her own.

Lara lifted her eyes to Sam's and she immediately felt better thinking of last night. It didn't matter where she called home. Wherever Sam was, that was where Lara always wanted to be.

She gave Sam an appreciative smile and squeezed the other woman's hand, before taking another sip of her tea. After a moment, Sam's voice broke the comfortable silence that had descended between them.

"I wonder if they had any trouble getting new passports and whatnot," Sam thought aloud, and Lara realized she hadn't thought about that. She guessed that technically they were here illegally, since they had no documentation; everything was lost in the shipwreck. Sam was probably fine since she was a Japanese citizen, but they had no passports to prove either of their identities.

"I should probably make an appointment myself with the British Embassy," Lara said, finishing off her tea while Sam nodded her head in agreement.

Suddenly, the shrill ringing of the telephone startled them out of their peaceful morning.

"I'll get it," Sam told her, standing up quickly from the table and she could see the barely concealed wince of pain as she did so. Lara wished the other woman would use her crutches or, better yet, let Lara take care of her.

"_Hello?"_ Sam's soft voice answered in Japanese while Lara busied herself by grabbing the empty mugs and standing up from the table.

"_This is she. May I ask who is calling?"_ Lara could hear only what Sam was saying, but she always loved hearing Sam speak her native language. From what her best friend had told her, she had moved all over the world as a child because of her father's business ventures. She had spent most of her time in the United States which is why she considers herself American even though she is legally a Japanese citizen. Sam had learned English in America and it was apparent in not only her accent, but the colloquialisms she used as well. Lara continued to listen, smiling to herself as she rinsed out the mugs and left them in the sink.

"_Who is he?"_ Sam's mood had turned dark in a matter of seconds. For some reason Lara felt the need to be near the other woman, so she approached her quietly. As she reached the dark haired woman, Lara wrapped her arms around Sam from behind and resting her chin on her shoulder.

_"I see…,_" Sam replied with an annoyed edge to her voice to the mysterious caller. Despite this, Lara could feel the muscles in Sam's back relax as she held her close to her chest.

_"No, no…it's fine,"_ Sam appeared to be losing her patience and Lara wanted to make her feel better. Emboldened, Lara placed her lips to the soft skin of Sam's neck in a gentle kiss.

"_You can send him up,"_ Sam finished, sighing as she hung up the phone. She turned around in her Lara's arms and wrapped her own around Lara's neck.

"Who was it?" she asked, curious to know who had ruined Sam's mood. Dark eyes glanced up at her and Lara could see the swirl of emotions there.

"The front desk…apparently my father sent one of his guys to deliver a message," Sam's voice was quiet and Lara could see how torn she was.

"What do you think it's about?" Lara asked cautiously, searching Sam's dark eyes for answers. She was curious about what Sam's father could possibly want to say to them, but she had a feeling it had to do with the expedition.

"I don't know…the lady at the front desk sounded a little worried," Sam told her, leaning forward and resting her head against Lara's shoulder. She responded by pulling Sam closer, doing her best to reassure the other woman.

A moment later a knock at the door caused them to separate quickly and Lara gave Sam a meaningful glance before heading to the door.

Sam followed her and stood behind Lara as she opened the door to see a young Japanese man with almost all visible skin covered in tattoos. Lara immediately could identify him as a member of the Japanese mafia…the Yakuza. Lara didn't know a whole lot about the Yakuza but she had heard horrific stories of Yakuza members tricking young girls to come to Japan and then forcing them into prostitution.

Without being fully aware of what she was doing, Lara edged her body more completely in front of Sam, blocking this man from her.

_"You have a message for us?"_ Lara spoke directly to the man in Japanese, eyeing him suspiciously. She knew that Sam's father had connections to the Yakuza but she wasn't sure to what extent.

"_I'm here to speak to Samantha Nishimura. Not you, yariman," _he replied to her flatly. Lara considered herself pretty fluent in Japanese but the last word he used was completely unfamiliar to her, but she had a feeling it wasn't a compliment.

Her suspicions were confirmed when Sam stepped up from behind her and addressed the man aggressively. She had seen her best friend angry before, but this was different; Sam looked absolutely livid. Her face had turned bright red and it looked as though every muscle in her body was tensed for a fight.

"_Say what you are going to say and get the fuck out," _Sam hissed, her fists clenched as she glared at him. The man didn't give any kind of reaction; his affect remained as flat as before despite Sam's hostility.

"_Here," _the man handed Sam a large envelope and Lara watched as she opened and read it briefly.

_"Also, Nishimura-san wanted you to have this,"_ he handed her a black credit card and Sam took it from him slowly. Lara could see her reluctance to accept the money, but what choice did they have? Everything they had was lost on that island.

_"Fine. You can leave now,"_ Sam informed the man and he gave her a smirk before turning and walking back down the hall. Sam shut the door behind him and Lara tried to meet her eyes but the other woman was busy looking down at the letter the man had given her.

"Sam?" Lara spoke quietly, trying to get the other woman's attention without startling her. She was curious about the word that man had used… She considered herself pretty fluent in Japanese and yet she had absolutely no clue what it meant.

"That word he used, 'yar-'," Lara began but Sam cut her of quickly.

"It's an extremely derogatory word used towards women. That fucker is lucky I didn't blind him," Sam spat, visibly upset so Lara did her best to calm her.

"What does it say?" Lara questioned, resting a gentle hand to Sam's shoulder. The other woman simply shook her head in frustration before looking back down at the paper in her hands.

"You've always wanted to meet my father…well, he wants to meet us for dinner tonight," Sam replied and Lara could hear the uncertainty in her voice. There was usually a reason whenever Mr. Nishimura wanted to see his daughter and it never had anything to do with simply wanting to see her.

"Do you want to go?" Lara asked quietly, stepping closer to Sam and lifting the hand that rested on the other woman's shoulder up to her face. She tenderly cupped Sam's cheek in her palm, gently caressing the skin there with the pad of her thumb.

It was obvious that Sam was upset but she was doing her best to hide it. Sam cleared her throat and glanced up into Lara's eyes for the first time.

"No, I don't…but we don't really have a choice," Sam told her as she crumpled up the paper in her hand and stepped away from Lara, tossing it into the nearby trashcan.

* * *

Sam wasn't looking forward to this dinner at all.

Currently she was in the hotel bathroom, attempting to step into the red dress that had been left for her in the closet. It was a pretty dress; she couldn't deny it, but the zipper was in the back and she was having some difficulty zipping it up.

Giving up, Sam held the dress to her chest and stepped out of the bathroom to seek out Lara's help. Her gaze immediately fell on the British woman sitting on one of the beds with the phone balanced between her cheek and her shoulder. It felt like Lara had been on the phone all day trying to get her travel papers.

Sam simply stood there holding her dress closed the best she could and watched the other woman. Lara really was a beautiful woman. She hadn't dressed for dinner yet so she was in cargo pants and a fitted tank top from when they had went out to get lunch. The tank top revealed the mountain climber's toned arms and did nothing to conceal her perfectly shaped torso as well. At the moment, her face was hidden behind her hand in frustration, but Sam could still see the loose strands of brunette hair escaping her pony tail. Her other hand held a pen poised over a notepad which was almost completely covered in hastily-written notes.

It was rather freeing to be able to look at Lara this way. Sure she had stolen glances at her before, but now that Sam knew Lara felt the same way about her... it was like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She no longer had to pretend that she wasn't head over heels in love with her best friend and it felt incredible.

"You don't seem to understand. My birth certificate is in London. I'm in Tokyo. If I could get to London without a bloody passport then I wouldn't being calling you then, would I?" Lara practically spat into the phone before hanging up in frustration. After a moment of rubbing her forehead in agitation, Lara glanced up at Sam.

She could immediately see the change in Lara in the way the other woman sat up straight and something shifted in her eyes. All of a sudden Sam felt a little self-conscious with Lara looking at her like that, but…she also kind of liked it. A warm feeling spread through her body and she knew her face was probably bright red.

"Uhm…could you…?" Sam didn't quite trust her voice so she let her sentence trail off, but Lara seemed to know what she was trying to ask because she stood slowly and approached her.

Sam turned so that way her back was facing the other woman and a second later she could feel Lara's body standing so close to hers. Her breath hitched as Lara's lithe fingers slid up the bare skin of her back painfully slow as she zipped her dress closed. Sam was warm all over again and her breathing became labored as Lara's hand reached the top of her dress, but the other woman's voice brought her back to reality.

"Sam…there is something I've been meaning to ask you," Lara's words drifted to her ears and Sam nodded her head, encouraging her to continue. She could feel the other woman's nervousness but she remained silent waiting for her to speak.

"On Yamatai…when…when Whitman took you back to Mathias…," Lara really seemed to be struggling to find the right words.

"I'm sorry- It's nothing-," Lara apologized quickly, but Sam turned and cut her off with her lips. It was a quick, chaste kiss, but full of meaning. She needed Lara to know that it was okay.

"Please don't apologize, Lara. You can ask me anything," Sam assured her after she broke the kiss. Part of her was a little apprehensive about where Lara wanted to go with this conversation, but she could tell that whatever it was, it was really bothering her.

"I just…when they made you put on that…that dress for the ritual…did they…I mean…did they hurt you?" Lara managed to get out the words and Sam was a little confused about what she was asking at first, but then she understood… Lara wanted to know if those men had raped her.

Sam's heart clenched painfully in her chest at Lara's words and she was unsure of how to respond. The last couple of days she had been so caught up in making sure that Lara was okay and figuring out the stuff with her dad that she hadn't really had a chance to fully process what had happened to her on that island.

As soon as she was captured by Mathias the first time, Sam was certain that was what her fate was going to be. An island full of men who probably hadn't seen a woman in years…How could she not think that was what they wanted from her?

Against her will, memories from that day came flooding back into her consciousness. She remembered the way Mathias had pulled her roughly into a side room of the temple and ordered the men to guard her and make sure she changed into that ceremonial dress.

She had been absolutely terrified. The way their eyes had traveled hungrily over her half-naked body as she had slipped out of her clothes, the way her heart stopped when one of them approached her, gripping her with rough, dirt-covered hands…

A wave of nausea hit her and it was like she was back there… his foul breath suffocating her as he forced her up against the wall… She could feel his erection through his pants and Sam had been certain that he was going to rape her.

Mathias had come back and when he saw what the man was trying to do, he shot him right between the eyes. It was the only time Sam was grateful for that psychotic man.

Coming back to the present, Sam met Lara's concerned hazel eyes and cleared the emotion out of her throat in order to answer.

"No… They didn't hurt me," Sam replied calmly. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't really the whole truth either. Sam didn't know if she could talk about this right now. She was already anxious about seeing her father again…she didn't know if she could handle discussing Yamatai as well so she shoved it into a dark corner of her mind for the time being. It had worked for her so far.

"We are going to be late if you don't get dressed," Sam lightly chastised her trying to change the subject. Lara didn't seem quite convinced but she obeyed and searched the closet for a dress of her own before deciding on a sleek, black one. Sam watched as the brunette disappeared into the bathroom to go get changed.

She made her way over to the bed and perched on the spot Lara had just vacated and her anxiety returned with a vengeance. Had Lara asked her that because that had happened to her? A sick feeling crept into the pit of her stomach and she felt like she was going to throw up... The thought that something like that could have happened to Lara...

Sam could feel everything catching up to her... It was becoming harder to breath... her heart clenched in her chest and it felt like something was clawing at her insides. She felt like she was on the verge of having a panic attack, but she needed to pull herself together... they were going to see her father. Another wave of anxiety washed over her as she her thoughts shifted to tonight.

She hadn't seen her father since he had sent her off to boarding school over seven years ago and their primary mode of communication was through his secretary. He had no qualms about sending her money though.

Her uncle, her father's brother, had paid for the expedition to Yamatai and that wasn't mere chump change. Sam wondered if that was this dinner was going to be about. He probably saw this as a failed investment and he probably wanted to chew her out like one of his employees for wasting her uncle's money.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed that Lara had stepped back into the room wearing the dress until the familiar British accent reached her ears. Drawing her away from her anxious thoughts and bringing her back to the present moment.

"I look like a fool," Lara muttered, walking over to Sam holding her dress in place as well. Sam simply stared; she was completely at a loss for words. Lara was the single most gorgeous thing in the entire world; that much was certain.

The dress fit her perfectly. It was a one shoulder dress and it accentuated her curves, something Lara usually tried to hide beneath baggy cargo pants. She had let her hair down and it cascaded over her shoulders and Sam had the urge to run her fingers through it.

Getting over her initial shock, Sam stood and stepped behind Lara to zip up her dress for her. Her heart was pounding profusely in her chest, drowning out all other noises. Despite the bandages which Lara had allowed her to change earlier, Sam was able to zip up the dress with very little effort and stepped back to look at Lara.

"You are so beautiful," Sam managed to choke out. Lara looked over her shoulder at her and smiled shyly back at her. She turned to face Sam and shook her head.

"You're the beautiful one," Lara responded, giving her a gorgeous smile and Sam knew that everything was going to okay. They just needed to get through this dinner and Sam promised herself that she would tell Lara everything. She needed to.

Lara turned and slipped on a pair of heels from the closet, but as Sam did the same Lara shook her head adamantly at her.

"No heels for you. You'll aggravate your ankle. You're lucky I'm not making you bring your crutches," Lara chastised her gently with a playful smile. Sam couldn't help but give in and threw her hands up in mock defense as she slipped on a pair of ballet flats instead.

The phone rang, shattering the moment and Sam wanted to tell off whoever was on the other end, but held back as she picked up the receiver.

"Yes?" Sam listened as the other person informed her that their driver was there. She signaled her affirmation before hanging up and turning to address the archaeologist,

"Time to go…."

* * *

As they approached the restaurant Lara seriously wondered whether this was such a good idea. After all, Mr. Nishimura had sent a member of the Yakuza to deliver his message. They weren't exactly a small, harmless street gang. Lara threw a sideways glace over at Sam who was walking beside her and was momentarily distracted by how incredibly beautiful she was. The red dress she was wearing hugged her curves perfectly and the front dipped low into a v-neck, revealing the swell of her breasts.

Lara could immediately feel the warmth coursing through her body and she quickly averted her eyes in embarrassment. She could feel her ears burning and she knew that her face was probably flushed bright red, so she did her best to hide her face from the woman beside her as they walked.

She had been extremely relieved to hear Sam say that she hadn't been hurt by those men, but she had sensed something else from the woman. It seemed as if Sam wanted to tell her something else but had thought better of it. Whatever it was, Sam would tell her when she was ready and Lara would be there for her.

They were mere feet away from the door to the restaurant when Lara sensed that Sam was no longer beside her. She turned and saw that Sam had frozen in place a few steps back. Concerned, Lara doubled back, closing the distance between her and the other woman. When she reached her she gently took both of Sam's hands in hers, attempting to meet her eyes in the process.

Sam reluctantly lifted her eyes to meet Lara's and she could clearly see the other woman's distress.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, Sam," Lara whispered, trying to ease Sam's mind. The other woman gave her a half-hearted smile that didn't quite meet her eyes before she spoke.

"I know...it's just been so long. The only reason he let my uncle pay for the expedition was because he thought he was going to make some money off Whitman's findings. He barely acknowledged that I was part of the team. I haven't spoken directly to him since he sent me off to boarding school. We didn't exactly part on good terms," Sam's words seemed to come out in a rush as if she had been waiting to get this off her chest.

"We don't have to go in, you know," Lara assured her the best she could. The familiar feeling of anger swept through Lara again as she thought about Sam's father and everything that he had put her best friend through.

"No...I need to do this," Sam told her and Lara could see her steeling her courage.

"Okay...well I will be right here beside you. I'm not going anywhere," Lara promised her, making sure Sam knew that she was here for her just as Sam had done for her last night.

"All right…let's do this," Sam spoke, taking a deep breath before leading them both into the restaurant and closer to her father.

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**There it is! Very serious chapter. I hope you all liked it. Let me know what you think so far! The plot will thicken next chapter! Lara and Sam are slowly recovering from their physical and psychological wounds and redefining their relationship with one another, but Sam's father has other plans for them. Thanks for sticking with me and please review!**


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